Tissue Engineering Approaches to Cell-Based Type 1 Diabetes Therapy

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disease resulting from the destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta-cells. Cell-based therapies, involving the transplantation of functional beta-cells into diabetic patients, have been explored as a potential long-term treatment for this condition; however, success is limited. A tissue engineering approach of culturing insulin-producing cells with extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules in three-dimensional (3D) constructs has the potential to enhance the efficacy of cell-based therapies for diabetes. When cultured in 3D environments, insulin-producing cells are often more viable and secrete more insulin than those in two dimensions. The addition of ECM molecules to the culture environments, depending on the specific type of molecule, can further enhance the viability and insulin secretion. This review addresses the different cell sources that can be utilized as beta-cell replacements, the essential ECM molecules for the survival of these cells, and the 3D culture techniques that have been used to benefit cell function.