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Review
. 2011 Apr;16(2):195-200.
doi: 10.1097/MOT.0b013e3283449dec.

Towards xenotransplantation of pig islets in the clinic

Robert B Elliott  1 ; Living Cell Technologies
Affiliations
Review

Towards xenotransplantation of pig islets in the clinic

Robert B Elliott et al. Curr Opin Organ Transplant. 2011 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Porcine islet xenotransplantation into humans faces two major hurdles - safety issues related to xenosis and xenorejection of the transplants. The former has been overcome mainly by selection of a suitable disease-free source herd.

Recent findings: Four strategies have been employed to date to overcome the rejection, all of which have shown some efficacy in animal models.

Summary: Immune suppression, Sertoli cell co-transplantation and microencapsulation have been tried in type 1 diabetic humans with some clinical benefit derived reported from the latter two. Unaware hypoglycemia in particular seems amenable to the microencapsulation approach.

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