Immunoisolation Membrane with Porosity Gradient for Angiogenesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cell transplant devices face challenges in inducing sufficient angiogenesis around the transplanted cells, leading to inadequate nutrient supply and secretion of physiologically active substances due to insufficient blood vessel formation, often triggered by inflammatory reactions.
Innovation Solution
A cell transplant device comprising a biocompatible polymer block structure with cells, where the polymer blocks are disposed in gaps between cells, enclosed by an immunoisolation membrane with a layered compact portion and increasing pore diameter, promoting vascular network formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an immunoisolation membrane with uniform pore structure is used, then immune cells are prevented from permeating, but blood vessel induction is insufficient and nutrient delivery is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The immunoisolation membrane is designed with non-uniform pore diameter distribution, where the inner side has smaller pores (0.01-1 μm) for effective immune cell barrier function, while the outer side has larger pores (1-10 μm) to promote blood vessel induction and nutrient delivery. This local quality variation allows the membrane to simultaneously achieve both protective and promotional functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is segmented into distinct functional zones: an inner compact layer with small pores for immune isolation and an outer porous layer with large pores for angiogenesis promotion. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
2Quantity of substance
If the cell structure thickness is increased to ensure sufficient cell presence, then nutrient delivery becomes insufficient, but reducing thickness compromises cell survival activity
Solution Approach 1:
The immunoisolation membrane incorporates a porous structure with controlled pore diameter distribution, where the outer porous layer with larger pores (1-10 μm) facilitates efficient nutrient delivery and waste removal, enabling the maintenance of thicker cell structures with sufficient cell density while ensuring adequate nutrient supply.
3Productivity
If blood vessel induction is promoted through inflammatory reactions, then new blood vessels form, but the induction is insufficient and causes harmful inflammatory effects
Solution Approach 1:
The outer porous layer of the immunoisolation membrane acts as an intermediary that promotes blood vessel induction through physical structure (larger pores) rather than chemical inflammatory stimuli. This mediator function achieves angiogenesis while avoiding the harmful inflammatory reactions associated with conventional induction methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively induces angiogenesis around the transplanted cells, ensuring continuous nutrient supply and secretion of active substances while protecting cells from host immune responses, achieving a high efficiency in generating new blood vessels.
Implementation Method 1
An immunoisolation membrane is a selectively permeable membrane that performs immunoisolation by allowing water, oxygen, glucose, and the like to permeate therethrough while preventing permeation of immune cells and the like involved in an immune rejection
Implementation Method 2
A cell transplant device comprising a cell structure and an immunoisolation membrane enclosing the cell structure
Implementation Method 3
within an inner side of the porous membrane, a layered compact portion in which a pore diameter is minimized is present, and a pore diameter continuously increases in a thickness direction from the compact portion toward at least one surface of the porous membrane
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a cell transplant device having an ability to induce angiogenesis around the cell transplant device, and a method for manufacturing the same. According to the present invention, a cell transplant device including a cell structure (A) that includes a plurality of biocompatible polymer blocks and a plurality of cells of at least one type, and in which at least one of the biocompatible polymer blocks is disposed in gaps between the plurality of cells; and an immunoisolation membrane (B) that encloses the cell structure is provided.