Researchers develop hydrogel shield to protect insulin-producing cells in diabetes treatment

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a method designed to shield insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells from immune system attacks, according to the team’s published findings. The approach coats therapeutic cells in an ultra-thin hydrogel layer, described by the researchers as a "biological mimicry transparent zone," allowing the cells to continue releasing insulin inside the body while remaining functionally intact. In experiments on diabetic mice, the encapsulated cells restored blood sugar levels to healthy ranges within one week and sustained the effect for more than 100 days, the researchers reported. Notably, the treatment worked without the use of immunosuppressive drugs during that period. After eight years of work, the team produced a coating roughly 20 micrometers thick, finer than a human hair, that conforms to living cells. Researchers said the results could support the development of safer cellular therapies for diabetes that rely less on immunosuppression. The method remains in the research and experimental stage and has not yet advanced to clinical use in humans.