Immunoisolating semi-permeable membranes for cell encapsulation: Focus on hydrogels

Cell-based medicine has recently emerged as a promising cure for patients suffering from various diseases and disorders that cannot be cured/treated using technologies currently available. Encapsulation within semi-permeable membranes offers transplanted cell protection from the surrounding host env...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of controlled release 2011-09, Vol.154 (2), p.110-122
Main Authors: Nafea, E.H., Poole-Warren, A. Marson, L.A., Martens, P.J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology - methods
Capsules - metabolism
Cell encapsulation
Cell Line
Cell Membrane Permeability - physiology
cell viability
Coated Materials, Biocompatible - metabolism
encapsulation
General pharmacology
Humans
hydrocolloids
Hydrogels
Hydrogels - metabolism
Immunoisolation
mass transfer
Medical sciences
Membranes, Artificial
Permeability
Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
polymers
Semi-permeable membranes
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Cell-based medicine has recently emerged as a promising cure for patients suffering from various diseases and disorders that cannot be cured/treated using technologies currently available. Encapsulation within semi-permeable membranes offers transplanted cell protection from the surrounding host environment to achieve successful therapeutic function following in vivo implantation. Apart from the immunoisolation requirements, the encapsulating material must allow for cell survival and differentiation while maintaining its physico-mechanical properties throughout the required implantation period. Here we review the progress made in the development of cell encapsulation technologies from the mass transport side, highlighting the essential requirements of materials comprising immunoisolating membranes. The review will focus on hydrogels, the most common polymers used in cell encapsulation, and discuss the advantages of these materials and the challenges faced in the modification of their immunoisolating and permeability characteristics in order to optimize their function. [Display omitted]
ISSN:0168-3659
1873-4995
DOI:10.1016/j.jconrel.2011.04.022