[Methods of evaluating the function of transplanted islets of Langerhans (author's transl)]

The various groups who are working on islet-transplantation used different parameters in determining the success or failure of their experiments. In our own transplantation-trials we tested the value of using the symptoms typical of diabetic humans for rats. These are: change in bodyweight, water intake, urine-volume and glucose content as well as the glucose-level in the blood. Special diabetic provocation-tests were also carried out with rats. It was shown, that the i.v. glucose-tolerance-test (IVGTT) and the glucose assimilation-coefficient (GAC) were able to demonstrate the reversal of the diabetic state after islet-transplantation. The tolbutamid-test gave no additional evidence about the success of the transplantation. Histological examinations should always be carried out in addition to the biochemical tests, because a decrease in the islet's-function is shown to depend on a higher rate of morphological regressions.