Protocol for isolation and transplantation of rat pancreatic islets in the kidney capsule to treat diabetes.

Islet transplantation offers promise for those with type 1 and late-stage type 2 diabetes; however, islet isolation from the pancreas is challenging due to the interference of exocrine tissue. We describe steps for constructing a diabetes model and precise islet isolation by a perfusion-based technique, followed by gradient centrifugation and cultivation in RPMI 1640 for recovery. Transplanted rat islets in diabetic nude mice demonstrated functional recovery, confirming the effectiveness of this approach.