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Islet Transplantation: Microencapsulation, Nanoencapsulation, and Hypoimmune Engineering
Kyungsene Lee1, Ana Aviles Vargas1, Rita Bottino2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
Islet transplantation represents a promising curative approach for type 1 diabetes by restoring glucose-responsive insulin secretion. However, the requirement for lifelong immunosuppression to prevent immune rejection can lead to significant side effects. Emerging strategies such as microencapsulation, nanoencapsulation, and hypoimmune engineering are being developed to protect transplanted islets from immune attack, thereby enhancing their viability and function. This review critically examines these innovative technologies, highlighting the methodologies, materials, experimental and clinical outcomes, as well as the challenges they face and potential solutions to overcome those challenges.
Islet transplantation represents a promising curative approach for type 1 diabetes by restoring glucose-responsive insulin secretion. However, the requirement for lifelong immunosuppression to prevent immune rejection can lead to significant side effects. Emerging strategies such as microencapsulation, nanoencapsulation, and hypoimmune engineering are being developed to protect transplanted islets from immune attack, thereby enhancing their viability and function. This review critically examines these innovative technologies, highlighting the methodologies, materials, experimental and clinical outcomes, as well as the challenges they face and potential solutions to overcome those challenges.
