In vivo selection of biocompatible alginates for islet encapsulation and subcutaneous transplantation.

Islet encapsulation requires several properties including (1) biocompatibility, (2) immunoprotection, and (3) oxygen diffusion for islet survival and diabetes correction. New chemical alginates were tested in vivo and compared with traditional high-mannuronate and -guluronate alginates. New alginates with coupled peptide sequence (sterile lyophilized high mannuronate [SLM]-RGD3% and sterile lyophilized high guluronate [SLG]-RGD3%), to improve encapsulated cell adherence in the matrix, and alginates with a very low viscosity (VLDM7% and VLDG7%), to reduce implant size by loading a higher number of islets per volume of polymer, were implanted subcutaneously in 70 Wistar rats for comparison with alginates of high viscosity and high content of mannuronic (SLM3%) or guluronic acids (SLG3%). Permeability of alginates to 36-, 75-, and 150-kDa lectins coupled to fluorescein isothiocynate was quantified before implantation and at 2, 4, and 12 weeks after implantation. Biocompatibility (fibrosis, graft stability, i...