Objective To review the general approaches in isolation and purification of pancreatic islets and progress in several aspects. Methods The latest l iterature concerning acquisition of pancreatic islets was reviewed and analyzed interms of the choice of pancreatic islet donors, the digestion and isolation of pancreas, the purification of islet and the assay of outcome. Results The profile of the isolation and purification depends on the selection of reagents and methods of operation in every step and l inkup between every step. Conclusion Pancreatic islet transplantation is the most effective method to treat type 1 diabetes, the problem of inadequate sources of pancreatic islets could be resolved by the optimal process and the establ ishment of standardized operation.