Research

Hormonal

Hypoxia (low oxygen) in pancreatic islets, particularly in the core of transplanted islets or in obese individuals, contributes to beta-cell apoptosis and dysfunction by stabilizing Hypoxia-Inducible Factors (HIFs).

For patients undergoing islet transplantation, oxygen levels are critical. Islets transplanted into the liver often suffer from hypoxia in their core, leading to cell death. Medical strategies are being developed to protect these cells from oxygen deprivation, such as using antioxidants or choosing better transplantation sites, to improve the chances of long-term insulin independence.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
hypoxia primarily occurs within the core of isolated islets (55) because a gradient in oxygen tension exists between the surface and the center of the islet... Exposure to high glucose levels has been shown to induce hypoxia and hypoxia-induced pathways in pancreatic beta-cell lines and isolated islets (11).
Philipp A. Gerber et al. · Antioxidants and Redox Signaling · 2016

Why this rating

Supported by animal models and human islet studies.

Source

The Role of Oxidative Stress and Hypoxia in Pancreatic Beta-Cell Dysfunction in Diabetes Mellitus

Philipp A. Gerber et al. · Antioxidants and Redox Signaling · 2016

DOI 10.1089/ars.2016.6755

narrative_reviewCited 648×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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