Chapter 12 – Oxygen-generating nanobiomaterials for the treatment of diabetes: A tissue engineering approach

In tissue engineering systems, high nutrient demand of cells following transplantation is one of the major problems with the transplantation of cells. Revolutionary techniques have been recently reported to locally deliver oxygen to beta cells, toward the goal of developing an alternative site to house insulin-producing cells. The generation of oxygen by nanobiomaterials creates a nutrient-rich environment with sustained oxygen supplementation. By adjusting different nanobiomaterials, the duration and amount of oxygen can be controlled, thereby providing the ideal environment for the cells. Recent studies showed that oxygen-generating nanobiomaterials are able to provide the supplemental oxygen needed by the islets and serve as a bridge until the blood vessels are formed, providing natural oxygen delivery to the insulin-producing cells. This chapter discusses the details of this important approach, which aims to improve the survival of transplanted cellular products by sustained oxygen delivery within the microenvironment of tissue-engineered sites.