Jp. Benson et al., TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BIOARTIFICIAL PANCREAS - EFFECTS OF POLY-L-LYSINE ON ALGINATE BEADS WITH BTC3 CELLS, Cell transplantation, 6(4), 1997, pp. 395-402
A bioartificial tissue construct that consists of insulin-secreting ce
lls entrapped in an alginate/poly-L-lysine (PLL) matrix offers a promi
sing approach for the treatment of type I diabetes, Use of transformed
cells has been proposed as a solution to the cell availability proble
m posed by islets, The growth characteristics of transformed cells in
their sequestered environment and the effects of PLL on their metaboli
c and secretory activities have not yet been characterized, Our data d
emonstrate that mouse insulinoma beta TC3 cells proliferate while they
are entrapped in both PLL-free and PLL-coated alginate beads, During
this process, cell aggregates develop in the bead periphery, which inc
rease in number and size with time. PLL is crucial for the long-term i
n vitro structural stability of beads, and it does not appear to affec
t the metabolic and secretory activities of entrapped beta TC3 cells.
The implications of these findings in the development of a bioartifici
al pancreatic construct based on transformed cells are discussed. (C)
1997 Elsevier Science Inc.