[Transplantation of isolated islands of Langerhans for the treatment of diabetes mellitus].

The historical development of research on islets transplantation is briefly reviewed followed by a description of a technique using Ficoll gradient separation to obtain islets of Langerhans from the rat pancreas. It was possible to increase the number of islets obtained with this procedure by modifying it in several ways. The islets were then transplanted in an isologue manner into rats with streptocotocin-induced diabetes. The effect of transplantation on glucose metabolism in these rats was evaluated both by determination of the general symptoms typical for diabetes as well as by the performance of such functional tests as IVGTT, GAC and tolbutamide test. The islets could be transplanted into various locations, but it was found that positive results were obtained only if the liver was the site of application and if than 2100 islets were used. Three hours after transplantation normalization of blood sugar levels and serum insulin could be observed; these levels remained stable over 18 months. It was possible to transplant in the same animal several times. This had an effect on the metabolism which was equivalent to the sum of the separate transplants. By means of both light and electron microscope examination the morphological changes which the transplanted islets underwent at the site of transplantation were observed.