Pancreatic and Islet Cell Transplantation

Since the observation by Joseph Von Mering and Oscar Minkowski in 1889 that extirpation of the pancreas of the dog resulted in diabetes mellitus1, attempts have been made to ameliorate diabetes both in the experimental animal and latterly in man by providing the afflicted individual with normal functioning pancreatic tissue. Prior to his epochal discovery of ‘isletin’ (insulin) in 1922, even the thoughts of Frederic Banting seemed to feature pancreas transplantation as a likely option in the management of diabetes2.