Dr. Conrad and his colleagues are attempting to form a cellular structure that mimics the natural resting place on which the islets thrive. "We are trying to improve the survival and the functionality of the islets by creating their pancreas specific niche," he explained.

The matrix was formed by removing cells from pancreatic tissue with biological deter-gents so only the proteins that hold the cells together were left. The resulting matrix was seeded with donor islet cells and supportive stem cells, and the entire construct was successfully trans-planted and maintained in a recipient animal model using microsurgical techniques.

Although the research is still at an early stage, Dr. Conrad believes a clinical trial of in patients with insulin dependent diabetes is likely in the near future. "The difficult aspects of the concept, such as decellularizing the pancreas by means of detergents, subsequent cellular seeding, and transplantation, have been worked out. I am very excited about the prospect of bioengineering an endocrine pancreas that could cure patients with insulin dependent diabetes. I think we are very close to the clinical application of this entirely novel concept," he said.

Source: Massachusetts General Hospital