ABSTRACT Pancreatic islets are critical micro-organs responsible for the material metabolism, especially glucose homeostasis. The majority of islet cells are endocrine cells, while immune cells play important roles in the islet function. The change of immune microenvironment in islets may lead to inappropriate hormone secretion, leading to various clinical symptoms, such as diabetes. Type I diabetes is due to absolutely insufficient secretion of insulin by pancreatic beta cells, which are functionally injured by immune cells in the islet microenvironment. Though type II diabetes is due to insulin resistance, the changes in islet immune microenvironment accompany the relative insulin deficiency. Here, we review the infiltration of different types of immune cells and the functions of the immune cytokines in islet immune microenvironment, so as to facilitate a better understanding of diabetes from an immunological aspect.
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