A bioinspired scaffold for rapid oxygenation of cell encapsulation systems.

ABSTRACT: Inadequate oxygenation is a major challenge in cell encapsulation, a therapy which holds potential to treat many diseases including type I diabetes. In such systems, cellular oxygen (O₂) delivery is limited to slow passive diffusion from transplantation sites through the poorly O₂-soluble encapsulating matrix, usually a hydrogel. This constrains the maximum permitted distance between the encapsulated cells and host site to within a few hundred micrometers to ensure cellular function. Inspired by the natural gas-phase tracheal O₂ delivery system of insects, we present herein the design of a biomimetic scaffold featuring internal continuous air channels endowed with 10,000-fold higher O₂ diffusivity than hydrogels. We incorporate the scaffold into

SUBMITTER: Wang LH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8494927 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature