3D printed polyamide macroencapsulation devices combined with alginate hydrogels for insulin-producing cell-based therapies

This study evaluates the biological effect of the macroencapsulation deviceś surface properties (hydrophilicity and porosity). We studied two different pore sizes and hydrophilicities in four different devices containing rat INS1E β-cells embedded in alginate hydrogels. All the devices showed great biocompatibility, although the hydrophilic ones exhibited higher fibroblast adhesion, which could potentially enhance the fibrotic response when implanted. Importantly, INS1E cells did not escape from the devices, denoting high biosafety. Cells grown within all devices and maintained their insulin secretory function. However, the hydrophobic device with a smaller pore size showed better cell viability values and, therefore, it might be the best candidate for the development of a safe β-cell replacement therapy in T1DM.Graphical abstract
Source: International Journal of Pharmaceutics - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research