Diabetes: Geneva scientists move towards an insulin-free future
A major step has been taken in Geneva to combat type 1 diabetes. An innovative hydrogel used on mice paves the way for a bioartificial pancreas that will do without insulin injections in the future, the University of Geneva (UNIGE) announced on Monday.
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Its aim is to promote the survival of insulin-producing cells transplanted into the body. This approach goes beyond the pancreatic islets tested to date, explain the UNIGE and the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG).
These often lead to rejection and, in the liver, inflammation and inadequate blood supply. Amniogel makes it possible to overcome these obstacles, according to the study led by UNIGE professor Ekaterine Berishvili and published in the journal Trends in biotechnology.
Derived from human amniotic membrane, it promotes a microvascular network prior to transplantation. It then facilitates connection to the host’s bloodstream, enabling the graft to function.
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This gel creates “a protective environment”, explains Berishvili. The grafts, in the shape of discs 9mm in diameter, enabled normal blood sugar levels to be maintained in diabetic mice for at least 100 days.
The next step, before a clinical application, will be to make them larger or in greater numbers so that they can be used in humans. Beyond diabetes, Amniogel could be used to host other cells, paving the way for other transplant treatments.
Adapted from French by AI/ts
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