Technology Opportunities

The present invention provides an advanced tissue-engineering technique for the development of 3D co-culture systems that reconstruct vascularization of pancreatic tissue ex-vivo. In this novel engineered 3D pancreatic model, isolated pancreatic islets can be co-cultured with endothelial cells. The endothelial cells organize into 3D tubes throughout the engineered construct and form vascular network-like structures resembling in-vivo vasculature. This presence of endothelial cells forming 3D vessel-like structures was found to be critical for islet survival. This model can provide an important tool for the therapeutic transplantation of islets, greatly increasing the success of the procedure.