Swedish Researchers Develop Microscale Eye Implant for Cell-Based Treatment of Diabetes
Swedish researchers have made a significant breakthrough in the development of a microscale device that could pave the way for cell-based treatments of diabetes and other diseases. The team from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institutet has successfully created a 3D-printed device that can encapsulate insulin-producing pancreatic cells with electronic sensors. Their findings were recently published in the journal Advanced Materials.
The collaboration between KTH and Karolinska Institutet has allowed the precise positioning of microorganisms, particularly pancreatic islets or Langerhans islets, in the eye without the need for sutures. This breakthrough offers new possibilities for cell-based therapies, specifically in treating Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes by utilizing the eye as a foundation.
Anna Herland, senior lecturer in the Division of Bionanotechnology at SciLifeLab at KTH and the AIMES research center at KTH and Karolinska Institutet, explains that the eye is an excellent choice for this technology due to its lack of immune cells that would negatively respond during the initial implantation stage. Additionally, the transparency of the eye allows for visual and microscopic examination of the implant over time.
The microscale device is designed as a wedge, measuring about 240 micrometers in length. This structure can be mechanically fixed at the angle between the iris and the cornea in the anterior chamber of the eye (ACE). This work showcases the first successful mechanical fixation of a device in the anterior chamber of the eye.
Wouter van der Wijngaart, professor in the Division of Micro- and Nanosystems at KTH, explains that the medical device was designed to securely hold living mini-organs in a micro-cage. The use of a flap door technique eliminates the need for additional fixation methods.
Testing on mice has shown promising results, with the device maintaining its position for several months. The mini-organs quickly integrated with the host animal’s blood vessels and functioned normally. Per-Olof Berggren, professor of experimental endocrinology at Karolinska Institutet, who contributed to the research with his expertise in transplanting islets of Langerhans, emphasized the importance of their unique unit in developing an integrated microsystem for studying the function and survival of these islets in the eye’s anterior chamber.
This breakthrough holds great translational significance, as transplantation of Langerhans islets to the eye’s anterior chamber is already being tested in clinical trials for patients with diabetes. Anna Herland remarked on the importance of this technology in advancing cell therapies, particularly for diabetes. By eliminating invasive methods to monitor the graft’s function, this microdevice is a critical step towards more advanced medical microdevices that can both localize and monitor the function of cell grafts.
Moreover, the design of the device allows for the positioning of mini-organs like organoids and islets of Langerhans without compromising the nutrient supply to the cells. This opens up the possibility of integrating more advanced device functions such as integrated electronics and drug release in the future.
Overall, this groundbreaking research from Swedish scientists brings us one step closer to viable cell-based treatments for diabetes and other diseases. The microscale eye implant developed by the researchers not only provides a means to encapsulate insulin-producing pancreatic cells but also allows for long-term monitoring of the graft’s function. With further advancements, this technology could revolutionize the field of cell therapies and greatly improve the lives of patients worldwide.
