Cell therapy is a method of replacing damaged cells caused by diseases with healthy cells. The problem is that the transplanted cells do not last long. Scientists have found a solution. It is a method of continuously supplying oxygen to the transplanted cells to extend their lifespan. Breathing cells are expected to fundamentally treat diseases by replacing cells damaged by chronic diseases.
Prof. Minglin Ma and his research team at Cornell University's Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering announced on the 12th in the international journal 'Nature Communications' that they have developed an implantable system capable of treating type 1 diabetes for up to three months by adding oxygen to insulin-secreting cells without immunosuppression. The research team noted that this system could be used to treat various chronic diseases beyond diabetes.
◇Implanting insulin-secreting capsules
Prof. Ma researched various methods to treat type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system mistakenly identifies and destroys the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas as foreign invaders. The islets are small clusters of tissue that make up about 10% of the pancreas. They are named so because they are scattered in the pancreas like islands.
The beta cells in the islets secrete insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Patients with type 1 diabetes have their beta cells destroyed and must continuously receive insulin through injections or pumps. Without insulin, the sugars (glucose) in the blood cannot be delivered to muscle and tissue cells to produce energy, leading to their excretion in urine.
Prof. Ma found a method to fundamentally treat diabetes by implanting islets into capsules. In 2017, he developed an implantation device by placing islets into a thread-like tube made of hydrogel. Hydrogel is a soft polymer material that contains a lot of water, similar to jelly or pudding. The implantable device was effective in controlling blood sugar in diabetic mice. The problem was time. Prof. Ma said, 'The transplanted islets died within two weeks due to lack of oxygen.'
The research team collaborated with Ginger Inc. in the U.S. to develop a new implant device. They added an oxygen generator, about the size of a coin, to a cylindrical capsule containing islets. The exterior of the capsule was wrapped in a nanofiber membrane to prevent attacks from the immune system. The islets in the capsule released insulin without triggering an autoimmune response and absorbed sugars. This is a method to fundamentally treat diabetes.
Dr. Linda Tempelman of Ginger noted, 'This research is a proof of concept,' and 'we have demonstrated that oxygen supply is a key factor for the survival of transplanted cells.' The research team developed methods to find various materials that can prevent immune cell attacks and coat them onto the capsules. Dr. Tempelman said, 'The capsule is equipped with immune protection features and can be maintained for a long time without membrane contamination.'
◇Aid in treating autoimmune diseases
The research team revealed that thanks to this transplant system, nearly 2 million patients with type 1 diabetes in the U.S. can receive islet transplants or cell therapy without having to take immunosuppressants. Patients who have undergone cell transplantation can expect to consume food or beverages and exercise like others without worrying about blood sugar.
The next step is to implant human stem cells using the new system in pigs, which are larger than mice. Prof. Ma and Dr. James Flanders from the veterinary college are establishing a startup called Persista Bio Inc. with Dr. Tempelman of Ginger to develop a system for implanting various types of cells in humans for the treatment of chronic diseases.
Dr. Tempelman, the company's representative, said, 'We believe that the era will come when people receive implantation of allogeneic cells or stem cells derived from other humans to treat long-term deficiencies in their bodies.'
Diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin and requires endorphins for pain control. Many diseases also arise from enzyme deficiencies. This means that if cells that produce these deficient biomaterials can be maintained in patients' bodies without immune response concerns for an extended period, a variety of diseases can be treated.
It could also help with xenotransplantation. Scientists have sought answers to the chronic shortage of transplantable organs in animals. They are using mini pigs, which have organ structures and sizes similar to humans. The first attempt was to transplant the pancreas of pigs into diabetes patients. The Cornell system can protect pig islets from the human immune system while extending their lifespan.
References
Nature Communications(2025)m DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62271-2
PNAS(2017), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1708806115