Vasculogenic hydrogel enhances islet survival, engraftment, and function in leading extrahepatic sites.

ABSTRACT: Islet transplantation is a promising alternative therapy for insulin-dependent patients, with the potential to eliminate life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes and secondary complications of long-term diabetes. However, widespread application of this therapy has been limited by inadequate graft function and longevity, in part due to the loss of up to 60% of the graft in the hostile intrahepatic transplant site. We report a proteolytically degradable synthetic hydrogel, functionalized with vasculogenic factors for localized delivery, engineered to deliver islet grafts to extrahepatic transplant sites via in situ gelation under physiological conditions. Hydrogels induced differences in vascularization and innate immune responses among subcutaneous, small bowel mesentery, and epididymal fat p

SUBMITTER: Weaver JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5457148 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature