Improved islet functional recovery, survival, and preservation of engraftment capacities post-thawing using a CGMP vitrification system for subsequent islet transplantation

Abstract

Islet transplantation is now an elective therapy for diabetes mellitus. However, there is a global shortage of pancreas donors and once islets are isolated cannot be maintained for long-time in culture. Cryopreservation is an attractive method to maintain isolated islets for a subsequent use if their viability and function are not compromised post-thawing. In the present study, we investigated the utility of islet vitrification to preserve viable and functional islets that kept their engraftment capacities post-thawing for islet transplantation.