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Researchers reverse diabetes in mice using nanoscale device

June 3, 2021 By Brian Buntz

beta cells
Insulin-secreting beta cells shown in purple are contained within a nano fiber implant. Image courtesy of Wi Wang.

Scientists at Washington University (St. Louis) and Cornell University (Ithaca, N.Y.) successfully implanted insulin-secreting cells in mice with type 1 diabetes. The cells proved capable of reversing chemically-induced diabetes for up to 200 days after implantation, according to a recent article in Science Translational Medicine. 

To do so, they used a nanofiber-integrated cell encapsulation (NICE) device containing insulin-secreting β cells. Researchers can produce such cells by modifying stem cells from skin or fat tissue. 

One of the traditional challenges of using such an approach is that the immune system tends to destroy externally introduced insulin-secreting cells. 

To protect them, the researchers decided to use the micro-porous NICE device, whose pores are sufficiently small to prevent immune cells from entering yet large enough to allow nutrients and oxygen to enter while preventing cellular overgrowth. The researchers “tuned” the nanofibers to approximately 500 nanometers. 

Made of thermoplastic silicone-polycarbonate-urethane, the experimental device features a nanofibrous skin with a hydrogel core.

“The combined structural, mechanical and chemical properties of the device we used kept other cells in the mice from completely isolating the implant and, essentially, choking it off and making it ineffective,” said Minglin Ma, a professor of biomedical engineering at Cornell, in a press release. 

After implanting the nanoscale devices in mice, they removed them after roughly six months to confirm the cells were still functional. They were. 

Filed Under: Diabetes, Hydrogels Tagged With: Diabetes, insulin, nanofiber-integrated cell encapsulation, NICE

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About Brian Buntz

The pharma and biotech editor of WTWH Media, Brian is a veteran journalist with more than 15 years of experience covering an array of life science topics, including clinical trials, drug discovery and development and medical devices. Before coming to WTWH, he served as content director focused on connected devices at Informa. In addition, Brian covered the medical device sector for 10 years at UBM. At Qmed, he overhauled the brand’s news coverage and helped to grow the site’s traffic volume dramatically. He had previously held managing editor roles on two of the company’s medical device technology publications. Connect with him on LinkedIn or email at bbuntz@wtwhmedia.com.

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