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Cell encapsulation: Promise and progress

Nature Medicine volume 9, pages 104–107 (2003)Cite this article

In cell encapsulation, transplanted cells are protected from immune rejection by an artificial, semipermeable membrane, potentially allowing transplantation (allo- or xenotransplantation) without the need for immunosuppression. Yet, despite some promising results in animal studies, the field has not lived up to expectations, and clinical products based on encapsulated cell technology continue to elude the scientific community. This commentary discusses the reasons for this, summarizes recent progress in the field and outlines what is needed to bring this technology closer to clinical application.

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Figure 1: Cell microencapsulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

    Gorka Orive, Rosa María Hernández, Alicia R. Gascón & José Luis Pedraz

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

    Riccardo Calafiore

  3. Artificial Cells & Organs Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Thomas M.S. Chang

  4. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Biology and Immunoendocrinology, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Paul De Vos

  5. Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, and Canadian Blood Services, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Gonzalo Hortelano

  6. AQUA+TECH Specialties SA, Geneva, Switzerland

    David Hunkeler

  7. Department of Special Polymers and Biopolymers, Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Igor Lacík

  8. Clinical Islet Transplant Program, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    A.M. James Shapiro

Authors
  1. Gorka Orive
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  2. Rosa María Hernández
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  4. Riccardo Calafiore
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  5. Thomas M.S. Chang
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  6. Paul De Vos
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  7. Gonzalo Hortelano
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  8. David Hunkeler
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  9. Igor Lacík
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  10. A.M. James Shapiro
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  11. José Luis Pedraz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to José Luis Pedraz.

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Orive, G., Hernández, R., Gascón, A. et al. Cell encapsulation: Promise and progress. Nat Med 9, 104–107 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0103-104

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