Improvement of Subcutaneous Bioartificial Pancreas Vascularization and Function by Coencapsulation of Pig Islets and Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Primates

Insufficient oxygenation can limit the long-term survival of encapsulated islets in subcutaneous tissue. Transplantation of coencapsulated pig islets with adipose or bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs or BM-MSCs, respectively) was investigated with regard to implant vascularization, oxygenation, and diabetes correction in primates. The in vivo impact of MSCs on graft oxygenation and neovascularization was assessed in rats with...