Clinical guidelines dictate that frequent blood glucose monitoring in diabetic patients is critical towards proper management of the disease. Although, several different types of glucose monitors are now commercially available, most of these devices are invasive, thereby adversely affecting patient compliance. To this end, optical polarimetric glucose sensing through the eye has been proposed as a potential noninvasive means to aid in the control of diabetes. Arguably, the most critical and limiting factor towards successful application of such a technique is the time varying corneal birefringence due to eye motion artifact. In the first part of this research, we describe a birefringent ocular model along with a geometric ray tracing scheme to serve as a tool towards better understanding of the cornea’s birefringence properties. The simulations show that index-unmatched coupling of light is spatially limited to a smaller range when compared to index-matched situation. Polarimetric measurements on rabbits’ eyes indicate relative agreement between the modeled and experimental values of corneal birefringence. In addition, the observed rotation in the plane of polarized light for multiple wavelengths demonstrates the potential for using a dual-wavelength polarimetric approach to overcome the noise due to time-varying corneal birefringence. These results will ultimately aid in the development of an appropriate eye coupling mechanism for in vivo polarimetric glucose measurements. The latter part of the dissertation focuses on design and development of a dual wavelength optical polarimeter. The described system utilizes real-time closed-loop feedback based on proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control, which effectively reduced the time taken by the system to stabilize while minimizing the effect of motion artifact, which appears as common noise source for both the wavelengths. Glucose measurements performed in both in vitro and ex vivo conditions demonstrate the sensitivity of the current system. Finally, in vivo results in rabbits indicate that dual-wavelength polarimetry has the potential to noninvasively probe glucose through the anterior chamber of the eye.

Estima-se que, em 2013, cerca de 382 milhões de pessoas eram portadoras de diabetes mundialmente. Já o diabetes mellitus do tipo 1 (DMT1) representa de 5-10% desse total de casos, cujo tratamento atual se pauta na administração de insulina exógena. Contudo, desde a publicação do protocolo de Edmonton, o transplante de ilhotas pancreáticas se apresenta como nova técnica no tratamento para o DMT1, inclusive obtendo a independência de insulina em alguns casos. Apesar disso, a escolha do sítio receptor ainda é essencial para diminuir efeitos adversos e permitir o acompanhamento do enxerto. Nesse sentido, destaca-se o transplante de ilhotas para a câmara anterior do olho, pois permite, além do restabelecimento do controle glicêmico, o estudo da fisiologia dos enxertos in vivo. Dessa forma, o objetivo foi estabelecer metodologia de isolamento e transplante de ilhotas de alta reprodutibilidade e baixo custo, utilizando a câmara anterior do olho como sítio receptor. O isolamento foi realizado via injeção de solução de colagenase (1 mg/mL via ducto colédoco) em camundongos machos C57BL/6 hígidos de 8 semanas de idade e posterior transplante dessas ilhotas para camundongos machos da mesma espécie com diabetes induzido por injeção de aloxana (60 mg/kg, i.v.). Esses camundongos foram submetidos a infusão de aproximadamente 250 equivalentes de ilhotas (IEQs) para a câmara anterior do olho e tiveram sua glicemia e alteração de massa corpórea acompanhadas por 14 dias após o transplante. Também foi realizado teste de tolerância a glicose via injeção de solução de glicose (2g/kg i.p.) e realização da curva glicêmica. Obteve-se, na etapa de padronização, que a adição de 0,5% (%p/v) de albumina de soro bovino à solução de colagenase foi capaz de aumentar o número de IEQs isolados por animal. Quanto ao transplante, obteve-se que 50% dos animais submetidos à técnica tiveram diminuição significativa na sua glicemia (172,5 ± 6,4 mg/dL), quando comparados com o grupo controle diabético (582,8 ± 27,5 mg/dL) (p < 0,05). Entretanto, todos os animais tiveram aumento significativo da massa corpórea no período de acompanhamento e glicemia de jejum significativamente menor que os animais diabéticos (p < 0,05). Ademais, a curva glicêmica dos animais que tiveram transplante considerado bem sucedido, no teste de tolerância a glicose, se aproxima da curva do grupo controle sadio. Conclui-se que o modelo de transplante de ilhotas pancreáticas para a câmara anterior do olho foi bem estabelecido neste projeto, confirmado pelos resultados que evidenciam o transplante de ilhotas funcionais capazes de reduzir sensivelmente a glicemia e promover o ganho de peso em camundongos diabéticos. / It is estimated that, in 2013, around 382 million people had diabetes worldwide. Of that number, 5-10% represented cases of T1DM, which treatment is based in the administration of exogenous insulin. However, since the Edmonton protocol was published, islet transplantation presented itself as novel technique for T1DM treatment, achieving insulin independence in some cases. Although, recipient site choice is still essential to diminish side effects and enable graft follow up. In that sense, transplantation to the anterior chamber of the eye stands out, since it allows, beyond the reestablishment of glycemic control, study of islet physiology in vivo. That way, the objective was to establish a low cost and high reproducible model of islet isolation and transplantation, using the anterior chamber of the eye as receptor site. Islet isolation was made by injection of collagenase solution (1 mg/mL via common bile duct) in 8 week old healthy male C57BL/6 mice and followed by transplantation of these islets to male mice of the same age and species with diabetes induced by alloxan injection (60 mg/kg i.v.). These mice were subject of 250 islet equivalents (IEQs) infusion to the anterior chamber of the eye and had their blood glucose and change in body mass monitored for 14 days after transplantation. A glucose tolerance test (GTT) was also made, by injection of glucose solution (2g/kg i.p.) and a glycemic curve was plotted. In the standardization period, was observed that the addition of 0,5% (%w/v) bovine serum albumin is capable of increasing the number of IEQs isolated from each animal. About the transplants, was obtained that 50% of animals subject to transplantation had their blood glucose decreased significantly (172,5 ± 6,4 mg/dL), when compared to the diabetic control group (582,8 ± 27,5 mg/dL) (p < 0,05). However, all animals subject to the procedure had significant body mass increase, when compared to the same control group and fasting blood glucose significantly lower than diabetic animals (p < 0,05). Moreover, the glycemic curve of animals, who had their transplantation considered successful, was similar to that found in healthy control animals, in the GTT. We conclude that the model of transplant to the anterior chamber of the eye is well established in this project, which is confirmed by results that shows transplantation of functional islets, capable of promoting a significant decrease in blood glucose and an increase in total body mass in diabetic animals.

Estima-se que, em 2013, cerca de 382 milhões de pessoas eram portadoras de diabetes mundialmente. Já o diabetes mellitus do tipo 1 (DMT1) representa de 5-10% desse total de casos, cujo tratamento atual se pauta na administração de insulina exógena. Contudo, desde a publicação do protocolo de Edmonton, o transplante de ilhotas pancreáticas se apresenta como nova técnica no tratamento para o DMT1, inclusive obtendo a independência de insulina em alguns casos. Apesar disso, a escolha do sítio receptor ainda é essencial para diminuir efeitos adversos e permitir o acompanhamento do enxerto. Nesse sentido, destaca-se o transplante de ilhotas para a câmara anterior do olho, pois permite, além do restabelecimento do controle glicêmico, o estudo da fisiologia dos enxertos in vivo. Dessa forma, o objetivo foi estabelecer metodologia de isolamento e transplante de ilhotas de alta reprodutibilidade e baixo custo, utilizando a câmara anterior do olho como sítio receptor. O isolamento foi realizado via injeção de solução de colagenase (1 mg/mL via ducto colédoco) em camundongos machos C57BL/6 hígidos de 8 semanas de idade e posterior transplante dessas ilhotas para camundongos machos da mesma espécie com diabetes induzido por injeção de aloxana (60 mg/kg, i.v.). Esses camundongos foram submetidos a infusão de aproximadamente 250 equivalentes de ilhotas (IEQs) para a câmara anterior do olho e tiveram sua glicemia e alteração de massa corpórea acompanhadas por 14 dias após o transplante. Também foi realizado teste de tolerância a glicose via injeção de solução de glicose (2g/kg i.p.) e realização da curva glicêmica. Obteve-se, na etapa de padronização, que a adição de 0,5% (%p/v) de albumina de soro bovino à solução de colagenase foi capaz de aumentar o número de IEQs isolados por animal. Quanto ao transplante, obteve-se que 50% dos animais submetidos à técnica tiveram diminuição significativa na sua glicemia (172,5 ± 6,4 mg/dL), quando comparados com o grupo controle diabético (582,8 ± 27,5 mg/dL) (p < 0,05). Entretanto, todos os animais tiveram aumento significativo da massa corpórea no período de acompanhamento e glicemia de jejum significativamente menor que os animais diabéticos (p < 0,05). Ademais, a curva glicêmica dos animais que tiveram transplante considerado bem sucedido, no teste de tolerância a glicose, se aproxima da curva do grupo controle sadio. Conclui-se que o modelo de transplante de ilhotas pancreáticas para a câmara anterior do olho foi bem estabelecido neste projeto, confirmado pelos resultados que evidenciam o transplante de ilhotas funcionais capazes de reduzir sensivelmente a glicemia e promover o ganho de peso em camundongos diabéticos. / It is estimated that, in 2013, around 382 million people had diabetes worldwide. Of that number, 5-10% represented cases of T1DM, which treatment is based in the administration of exogenous insulin. However, since the Edmonton protocol was published, islet transplantation presented itself as novel technique for T1DM treatment, achieving insulin independence in some cases. Although, recipient site choice is still essential to diminish side effects and enable graft follow up. In that sense, transplantation to the anterior chamber of the eye stands out, since it allows, beyond the reestablishment of glycemic control, study of islet physiology in vivo. That way, the objective was to establish a low cost and high reproducible model of islet isolation and transplantation, using the anterior chamber of the eye as receptor site. Islet isolation was made by injection of collagenase solution (1 mg/mL via common bile duct) in 8 week old healthy male C57BL/6 mice and followed by transplantation of these islets to male mice of the same age and species with diabetes induced by alloxan injection (60 mg/kg i.v.). These mice were subject of 250 islet equivalents (IEQs) infusion to the anterior chamber of the eye and had their blood glucose and change in body mass monitored for 14 days after transplantation. A glucose tolerance test (GTT) was also made, by injection of glucose solution (2g/kg i.p.) and a glycemic curve was plotted. In the standardization period, was observed that the addition of 0,5% (%w/v) bovine serum albumin is capable of increasing the number of IEQs isolated from each animal. About the transplants, was obtained that 50% of animals subject to transplantation had their blood glucose decreased significantly (172,5 ± 6,4 mg/dL), when compared to the diabetic control group (582,8 ± 27,5 mg/dL) (p < 0,05). However, all animals subject to the procedure had significant body mass increase, when compared to the same control group and fasting blood glucose significantly lower than diabetic animals (p < 0,05). Moreover, the glycemic curve of animals, who had their transplantation considered successful, was similar to that found in healthy control animals, in the GTT. We conclude that the model of transplant to the anterior chamber of the eye is well established in this project, which is confirmed by results that shows transplantation of functional islets, capable of promoting a significant decrease in blood glucose and an increase in total body mass in diabetic animals.