RGD-modified injectable hydrogel maintains islet beta-cell survival and function.

Objective: A potential solution for islet transplantation and drug discovery vis-à-vis treating diabetes is the production of functional islets in a three-dimensional extracellular matrix. Although several scaffold materials have been reported as viable candidates, a clinically applicable one that is injectable and can maintain long-term functionality and survival of islet pancreatic beta-cells (β-cells) is far from being established.

Results: In the current study, we evaluated a ready-to-use and injectable hydrogel's impact on β-cells' function and viability, both in vitro and in vivo.