Metabolic response to isologous transplantation of small numbers of isolated islets of Langerhans in the rat.

Pancreatic islets from adult donors were transplanted intraportally into 32 inbred, adult AGUS rats with streptozotocin diabetes. The islets were isolated with collagenase and counted individually. A relationship between the number of islets transplanted and the metabolic response could be demonstrated. Transplantation of less than 200 islets did not change the diabetic state. Rats receiving 200-220 improved, while recipients of 240-800 islets all exhibited normal values of blood glucose, plasma insulin, urine volume and urine glucose. The glucose tolerance, however, remained abnormal in all animals.