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Mechanisms of Neonatal Porcine Islet Xenograft Rejection
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- Author / Creator
- Mok, Dereck
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Islet transplantation has the potential to be an effective treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes. However, a shortage of human donor islets and the need for continuous immunosuppressive therapy currently limit this therapy to patients with brittle type 1 diabetes. Neonatal pigs may provide an unlimited source of islets for transplantation; however, the barrier of islet xenograft rejection must still be overcome. Understanding the mechanism of neonatal porcine islet (NPI) rejection will help to develop targeted therapies to prevent rejection. This thesis studied the early immune cells and molecules involved in NPI xenograft rejection, compared the role of NK cells in two models of islet xenotransplantation and investigated the role of T cell co-stimulatory and adhesion pathways in NPI xenograft rejection. Targeting these aspects of the immune response to NPI xenografts with short-term therapies may play a role in improving NPI xenograft acceptance and induce long-term xenograft survival.
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- Subjects / Keywords
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- Graduation date
- Fall 2009
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Master of Science
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.