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Swedish scientists have created a miniature eye implant, offering a promising avenue for cell-based treatments for diabetes and various other conditions. This 3D-printed device, jointly developed by researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institutet, aims to encapsulate insulin-producing pancreatic cells alongside electronic sensors. The study’s findings were published in the journal Advanced Materials.
This collaboration has allowed precise placement of micro-organs, specifically pancreatic islets (or islets of Langerhans), within the eye without the need for sutures. This breakthrough offers potential for cell-based therapies, such as treating Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, utilizing the eye as a platform.
Anna Herland, senior lecturer in the Division of Bionanotechnology at SciLifeLab at KTH and the AIMES research center at KTH and Karolinska Institutet, emphasized the eye’s suitability for this technology. Due to its lack of immune cells that react negatively during initial implantation, and its transparency enabling visual and microscopic observation of the implant’s progress over time, the eye is an optimal candidate.
The device is shaped like a wedge, approximately 240 micrometers in length, allowing it to be securely positioned at the angle between the iris and the cornea in the anterior chamber of the eye (ACE). This study marks the initial mechanical fixation of a device in this chamber.
Wouter van der Wijngaart, professor in the Division of Micro- and Nanosystems at KTH, explained that the medical device was engineered to cradle living mini-organs in a micro-cage, incorporating a flap door technique to obviate the need for supplementary fixation.
In experiments on mice, the device maintained its position in the organism for several months, with the mini-organs swiftly integrating with the host animal’s blood vessels and functioning normally, according to Herland. Per-Olof Berggren, professor of experimental endocrinology at Karolinska Institutet, contributed his extensive experience in transplanting islets of Langerhans into the anterior chamber of the eye in mice.
Berggren affirmed that the current unit is singular and will serve as the foundation for future efforts to create an integrated microsystem for assessing the function and survival of the islets of Langerhans in the anterior chamber of the eye. He noted its substantial translational importance, as the transplantation of Langerhans islets into the anterior chamber of the human eye is undergoing clinical trials for patients with diabetes.
Herland noted that this technology addresses a significant hurdle in the development of cell therapies for diabetes. Specifically, it eliminates the need for invasive techniques to monitor graft function and guide care, thereby ensuring the long-term success of transplants.
“This is our initial stride toward sophisticated medical microdevices capable of both localizing and monitoring the function of cell grafts,” she affirmed.
Herland added that the design allows for the positioning of mini-organs like organoids and islets of Langerhans without impeding nutrient supply to the cells. Furthermore, it paves the way for the future integration of more advanced device functions, such as integrated electronics or controlled drug release.
