Liver Biotech is a dynamic enterprise that seeks to create new innovations in translational medicine.  Recently, the company has contributed to scientific publications in the journal Cell Transplantation (Sage).  The article is title, “A Translational Perspective of Islet Transplantation.”  The article summarizes recent clinical islet transplantation trials and in vitro islet experiments.  

Islet transplantation is a possible approach to the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 1.  The procedure is usually considered experimental with various reported rates of insulin independence.  Patients exhibit improved hypoglycemic unawareness.  The supply of human islets is limited.  Clinical trials have used encapsulation and pharmaceutical agents to enhance transplantation.  Other in vitro interventions are being studied including small molecules, microRNAs, co-culture systems, and stem cells.  

Based on the data from clinical trials, this paper argues that future in vitro studies should focus on glucagon.  Mortality associated with diabetes mellitus correlates with the number of hypoglycemic events as opposed to hyperglycemia.  Without sufficient glucagon, patients experience hypoglycemic unawareness.  Although the mechanisms of hypoglycemic unawareness are complex, glucagon plays a significant role.  As such, hypoglycemia stimulated glucagon secretion may be of value, and should be studied in vitro.