Recreating the Pancreatic Environment
Background:
Much like the scaffolding you’d see on the outside of a building during its construction, where metal rods provide a framework for the three-dimensional scaffold structure, bioengineered scaffolds are being developed to provide a compartmentalized structure for transplanted islet cells.
Research Focus:
Our scientists at the Diabetes Research Institute are designing these tissue scaffolds to:
- Provide adequate support for the insulin-producing cells held within it.
- Allow plenty of spacing between cells to let in oxygen and nutrients.
The bioengineered scaffolds distribute cells evenly throughout the region or space, similar to their distribution within the native pancreas. Without this even distribution of cells, islets tend to clump together – making it difficult for oxygen and nutrients to reach cells in the center of the group. They can also be retrieved, if necessary, reloaded with more islets or other cells, and re-implanted.
The tissue scaffolds not only house and protect transplanted islets, they could potentially contain other, beneficial cells or anti-inflammatory agents. In one study, for example, an oxygen-binding compound was incorporated into a scaffold, which improved the viability of islets and glycemic control in study animals.
Leading to a Cure: How this Research Supports our Mission
By mimicking the native environment of the pancreas, these biomaterial scaffolds may support and enhance the long-term viability of cell replacement therapies for the treatment of diabetes.
This illustration shows how a bioengineered "scaffold" provides spacing and support structure for insulin-producing cells.
Cherie Stabler, Ph.D., Director of DRI's Tissue Engineering Laboratory, speaks about the use of scaffolds.
Photographs of silicone sponge prototypes illustrate the capacity to fabricate sponges of various shapes and degrees of porosity. A) Microscope images of silicone scaffold. B) Scaffolds formed from molds designed to fit into biohybrid device (BHD), using combinations of silicone/salt formulations. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the scaffold shows high porosity and interconnecting pores throughout the scaffold. C, D, E and F are SEM images of silicone sponges at varying micron scales.