Could Pancreatic Islet Transplantation Outcome Be Impacted by Overestimating Islet Volume? Insights From a Serial Section Study

Praveen Kumar Ravi ¹, Sashikanta Swain ¹, Abhijit Sahu ¹

⁰Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.

Journal of Diabetes Research +

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August 14, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Accurate measurement of pancreatic islet size is crucial for transplantation success. Serial section analysis reveals single paraffin sections underestimate islet diameter and overestimate islet volume, impacting transplant outcomes.

Area Of Science

Endocrinology
Transplantation Biology
Histology

Background

Pancreatic islet transplantation outcomes depend on islet size, purity, and dimensions.
Single paraffin section measurements can inaccurately represent islet diameter and volume.
Limitations exist in current methods for measuring islet equivalent quantity (IEQ).

Purpose Of The Study

To quantify maximum islet diameter using serial sections and compare it with single paraffin section measurements.
To evaluate actual islet volume and compare it with IEQ derived from diameter measurements.
To identify discrepancies in islet size assessment and their impact on transplantation accuracy.

Main Methods

Utilized pancreatic tissue from six adult human samples.
Performed immunohistochemical staining with anti-synaptophysin antibody on serial sections.
Measured islet diameter and volume using serial sections, calculating maximum average diameter and corrected volume.

Main Results

Single paraffin sections underestimated islet diameter by 23.37% compared to serial sections (p < 0.0001).
IEQ calculated from diameter overestimated actual islet volume by 87.51%, particularly for larger islets.
Discrepancies were more pronounced in larger islets (>125 μm).

Conclusions

Single paraffin section analysis significantly underestimates pancreatic islet dimensions.
IEQ calculations based solely on diameter can lead to substantial overestimation of islet volume.
Accurate islet size assessment using serial sections and adjusted IEQ calculations is vital for improving pancreatic islet transplantation outcomes.

Keywords:

ImageJ islet diameter islet equivalent pancreatic islet transplantation serial section surgical outcome