Islet amyloid has been suggested to be an important link between insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. To investigate the prevalence and clinicopathological characteristics of islet amyloid, we examined consecutive autopsies of 235 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes and 533 nondiabetic subjects. Islet amyloid deposits were identified using Congo red staining and qu...

Islet transplantation offers a physiological approach for precise restoration of glucose homeostasis, thereby reversing the metabolic and neurovascular complications of diabetes. In the past, there were only a few successes with human islet transplantation and the initial results were very disappointing. However, recent reports of great successes in islet transplantation have renewed the intere...

BACKGROUND Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Pancreatic islet transplantation could be an effective treatment option for type 1 diabetes once several issues are resolved, including donor shortage, prevention of islet necrosis and loss in pre- and post-transplantation, and optimization of immunosuppression. This study seeks to de...

Obesity is a main reason of type 2 diabetes and also chronic exposure to arsenic (As)can produce diabetic symptoms. In previous studies, the association between high-fat dietand arsenic in the incidence of diabetes was found, but the role of beta cells activity, livermitochondrial oxidative stress, and hepatic enzymes (leptin, adiponectin and beta amylase)was unclear. Thus, present study was co...

Pancreatic islet blood perfusion varies according to the needs for insulin secretion. We examined the effects of blood lipids on pancreatic islet blood flow in anesthetized rats. Acute administration of Intralipid to anesthetized rats increased both triglycerides and free fatty acids, associated with a simultaneous increase in total pancreatic and islet blood flow. A preceding abdominal vagotom...

26 27 Pancreatic islet blood perfusion varies according to the needs for insulin secretion. We 28 examined the effects of blood lipids on pancreatic islet blood flow in anesthetized rats. Acute 29 administration of intralipid to anesthetized rats increased both triglycerides and free fatty 30 acids, associated with a simultaneous increase in total pancreatic and islet blood flow. A 31 preceding...

Pancreatic islets are highly vascularized mini-organs, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A is a critical factor in the development of islet vascularization. To investigate the role of VEGF-A and endothelial cells (ECs) in adult islets, we used complementary genetic approaches to temporally inactivate VEGF-A in developing mouse pancreatic and islet progenitor cells or in adult β-cell...

BACKGROUND The success of pancreatic islet transplantation still faces many challenges, mainly related to cell damage during islet isolation and early post-transplant. The increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during islet isolation and the consumption of antioxidant defenses appear to be an important pathway related to islet damage. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In the prese...

Pancreatic islet formation is a highly regulated process that is initiated at the end of gestation in rodents. Endocrine precursor cells first form within the epithelium of duct-like structures and then delaminate from the epithelium, migrate, and cluster during the early stages of islet formation. The molecular mechanisms that regulate endocrine cell migration and islet formation are not well ...