A team of international scientists has made great progress in diabetes research by successfully printing functional Langerhans Islands in 3D with the help of a new bioty bioty in ink ink. The new technology that was presented at the ESOT Congress 2025 could pave the way for a more effective and less invasive treatment of people with type 1 diabetes.
The breakthrough was to print Langerhans-Islands-the insulin-producing cell-producing cells in the pancreas-with an individual bioty ink made of alginate and decellularized human pancreatic fabric. This approach led to permanent, high -density island structures, which remained alive and functional for up to three weeks, maintained a strong insulin reaction to glucose and have real potential for future clinical use.
Conventional island transplants are usually infused into the liver, a process that can lead to a significant loss of cells and a limited long -term success. In contrast, the 3D printed islands were designed in such a way that they can be implanted directly under the skin-a simple intervention that only requires a local anesthetic and a small cut. This minimally invasive approach could be a safer and more comfortable option for the patients.
“Our goal was to reproduce the natural environment of the pancreas so that the transplanted cells can survive and work better,” explains the main author Dr. Quentin Perrier. “We used a special bioty ink, which imitates the support structure of the pancreas and supplies the islands with oxygen and nutrients that they need for development.”
The bioged islands remained alive and healthy, with a cell survival rate of over 90 %. They reacted better to glucose than conventional island preparations and released more insulin if it was needed. On the 21st day, the islands showed a stronger ability to recognize the blood sugar level and react to it – an important sign that they could work well after inserting. The constructs kept their structure without clumping or disintegrating, and thus overcoated a frequent obstacle in previous approaches.
In addition, the 3D printed structures showed a porous architecture that improved the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the embedded islands. This design contributed to maintaining the health of the cells and promoting vascularization, which is decisive for the long -term survival and the function after the transplant.
“This is one of the first studies in which real Langerhans Islands are used for organic pressure instead of animal cells, and the results are very promising,” said Dr. Perrier. “We get closer to the goal of developing standard treatment for diabetes that could one day make the need for insulin injections superfluous.”
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