Intrasplenic implantation of tissue-engineered pancreatic construct in experimental diabetic rats

Abstract

Objective: to study the effect of intrasplenic implantation of a tissue-engineered pancreatic construct (TEPC) on experimental diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods. Floating islet-like cultures (FICs) were obtained from the pancreas of newborn rabbits. To form TEPC, FICs were incubated with biopolymer microheterogeneous collagen-containing hydrogel (BMCH). TEPC samples were injected into the splenic pulp of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Results. TEPC with insulin-producing activity was formed on the 7–10th day of incubation of FICs with BMCH. After TEPC implantation in recipient rats, persistent decrease in hyperglycemia and disappearance of clinical signs of diabetes were noted. Histological analysis revealed the presence of groups of islet cells without signs of immune cell response at the TEPC implantation site. Conclusion. Our findings indicate that xenogeneic islet cells that were part of the TEPC of the pancreas can survive and actively function after implantation in the splenic pulp of diabetic rat.

Keywords

• pancreas
• newborn rabbits
• floating islet-like cultures
• biopolymer microheterogenous collagen-containing hydrogel
• tissue-engineered construct
• rats
• streptozotocin-induced diabetes
• splenic implantation
• glycemia