Polypeptide and glycoprotein hormone heterodimer similar to beta.

A device comprising: (a) a membrane suitable for implantation and (b) cells encapsulated within said membrane, wherein said cells have been genetically engineered to express and secrete a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: (i ) an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3; (Ii) an isolated polypeptide comprising the mature amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, comprising a mature amino terminus at residue 1, optionally further comprising an amino-terminal methionine; (Iii) an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence for an ortholog of SEQ ID NO: 3; (Iv) an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having an identity of at least 70% with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (V) an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence for an allelic variant or splice variant of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 or at least one of (ii) - (iv); (Vi) an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 with at least one conservative amino acid substitution; (Vii) an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 with at least one amino acid insertion; (Viii) an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 with at least one amino acid deletion; (Ix) an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 having a truncation at the C and / or at the N and (x) a heterodimer polypeptide a10 human glycoprotein hormone polypeptide alpha2 human glycoprotein hormone or an allelic variant or splice variant thereof wherein the polypeptide of (iii) - (ix), when heterodimerized to alpha2 polypeptide human glycoprotein hormone has an activity of heterodimeric hormone glycoprotein alpha2 / human Beta10 and wherein said membrane is permeable to said protein and impermeable to materials harmful to the cells.