Vasculature Supports Encapsulated Islet Cells 2
Vasculature Supports Encapsulated Islet Cells 2
Corina MacIsaac, Robert Langer, Daniel Anderson
Koch Institute at MIT, MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
Cell therapy is a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes. Here we encapsulate insulin-producing islet cells in a hydrogel to create a physical barrier that prevents the transplanted cells from being rejected by the patient’s immune system. These images show the vascular network on the surface of these capsules that provides nutrients to keep the transplanted cells alive. In this image, the blood is in red and the vessels are outlined in purple.