Entry Date:
October 18, 2007

Eliminating Oxygen Supply Limitations for Transplanted Microencapsulated Islets

Principal Investigator Clark Colton

Co-investigator Robert Fisher


One major issue preventing wide scale application of islet transplantation is the permanent use of immunosuppressive agents. Microencapsulation provides transplanted islets with protection from aspects of immune rejection. However, the microcapsule prevents islet revascularization and creates an additional resistance for oxygen transport to islets.