Surface Coating of Islets of Langerhans by Activated Polyethylene Glycol

Abstract

The final treatment for diabetes is transplantation of islets of Langerhans. One of the new proposed methods for immunological preservation of transplanted cells is coating of cell surface by polyethylene glycol. In this study, the surface of islets of Langerhans was coated by cyanuric chloride activated methoxy polyethylene glycol. The effect of polymer coating, at two different reaction times and polymer concentrations, by immunological and morphological tests on the cells, was studied. A decrease of 47-76.5% in the immunological response against the coated cells, in comparison to controlsamples, was observed. Also, morphologically, these coated cells were more stable.

Keywords

• islets of langerhans
• methoxy polyethylene glycol
• cyanuric chloride
• lymphocytes
• polymer coating