Elisa Maillard
University of Strasbourg, France
Title: Islet transplantation: Input of biomaterials for islet survival
Biography
Biography: Elisa Maillard
Abstract
Islet transplantation is a promising and minimally invasive therapy to restore normoglycaemia in brittle type 1 diabetic patients. However the procedure is pancreas consuming since 2 to 3 pancreases are needed for a single patient. Therefore efforts in research are focusing on improvement of islet survival during the process to decrease pancreas requirement. The stressful event of islet/exocrine separation deprives cells from extracellular matrix contact and oxygen supply which are two of the major reasons of the loss of approximately 60% of islets.
Interest had risen over the last couple of years in biomaterials in islet transplantation regarding transplantation but also for the culture steps. The uses of biomaterials to create an artificial environment for islets post isolation increase their survival and improve transplantation outcome. In the same way, oxygen provider arouses enthusiasm of the community, and numerous teams tested the beneficial effect of oxygen supply from the pancreas retrieval to islet implantation step.
The combination of both agents showed a real benefit for islet viability and function in vitro, providing more robust islet for sustaining the transplantation event. In vivo study highlighted several problems with transplantation sites, the liver. Indeed depending upon the material used the inflammatory reaction is triggered. Therefore alternative sites are today investigated, with in particular the omental pouch which gives the opportunity to keep matrices post implantation