Studies with an artificial endocrine pancreas.

Short-term studies with an artificial endocrine pancreas have provided insights into the pathophysiology of diabetes and demonstrated the ability of such a system to restore and maintain glucose homeostasis in human subjects given either their usual diet, a 50 gm oral glucose tolerance test, or a moderate level of physical exercise. Animals were used to demonstrate that a peripheral route of insulin delivery by the artificial pancreas is equivalent to the portal route.