New Method Creates Better Insulin-Producing Cell Clusters for Transplant Studies

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops making insulin, the hormone needed to control blood sugar. Pancreatic islet transplantation—moving healthy insulin-producing cells into people with Type 1 diabetes—is a promising treatment approach. However, scientists have struggled to recreate the specific structure of natural pancreatic islets in the lab.

Researchers at ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces published a study in September 2024 describing a new high-throughput method to grow islet spheroids with a core-mantle architecture. This means the spheroids have an organized structure: a central core of beta cells (which produce insulin) surrounded by a layer of alpha cells (which produce glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar). This layered design mirrors how islets are organized in the body.

The researchers used the magneto-Archimedes effect—a magnetic technique—to organize cells into these precise layered structures quickly and in large numbers. This approach allows scientists to produce many uniform spheroids at once, which is important for both research and potential clinical use.

The team specifically tested spheroids with a 7-to-3 ratio of beta cells to alpha cells. In laboratory testing, these structured spheroids showed a more sensitive response to changing blood sugar levels compared to spheroids where beta and alpha cells were randomly mixed together. The organized spheroids also secreted insulin more effectively when exposed to high glucose.

Before any transplant, recipients need immunosuppressive medications to prevent their immune system from rejecting the new cells. The researchers used their new spheroids to test how three common immunosuppressive drugs—mycophenolate mofetil, rapamycin, and tacrolimus—affected cell health and function.

Results showed that mycophenolate mofetil had less of a negative impact on cell viability and insulin secretion than the other two drugs. This type of testing using engineered islet spheroids could help doctors choose safer medication strategies for future transplant patients.

When researchers transplanted these core-mantle islet spheroids into diabetic mice, the structured spheroids showed better therapeutic effects than other types of islet spheroids tested. The mice receiving these organized cell clusters had better blood sugar control, suggesting the natural architecture of the spheroids contributed to improved function.

These are early-stage findings from animal studies. Much more research is needed before this approach could be tested in people. However, the results support the idea that recreating the natural structure of pancreatic islets may improve how transplanted cells work, potentially benefiting future Type 1 diabetes patients who receive islet transplants.

Source: ACS applied materials & interfaces. Evidence type: PubMed indexed literature. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.