Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026

Quantitative and Temporal Control of Oxygen Microenvironment at the Single Islet Level
Published on: November 17, 2013
Engineering the oxygen microenvironment for pancreatic islet transplants
Samantha Kruzshak1, Flannery G Williams2, Gulden Camci-Unal3,4
1Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
Abstract:
Pancreatic β-cell dysfunction causes diabetes in over 400 million worldwide. Islet transplantation promises but faces donor scarcity, rejection, and hypoxic failure. β cells are vulnerable to oxygen deprivation, affecting survival and function. Strategies include pre-implantation, prevascularization, genetic modifications to improve survival; biomaterial encapsulation for immune protection and nutrients; and oxygen delivery after implantation to sustain viability, advancing islet transplantation for diabetes.

