The use of fibrous scaffolds made of titanium nickelide and carrying islet cells (IC) after a course of alloxan administration was studied in vivo. Scanning electron microscopy showed good adhesion of IC in the pore space of the scaffolds. In 28 days, mature tissue comprising both cellular and fibrous components filled the inner space of the scaffold by 90%. The advantage of intraperitoneal implantation of IC in vitro seeded in fibrous titanium nickelide scaffolds in comparison with injection of IC (6×105 cells) to Wistar rats was demonstrated in the dynamics of pancreatic function recovery (normalization of blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations by day 21 of the experiment), regeneration of the white hematopoietic lineage cells, and lengthening (by 2 times) of the lifespan of animals with alloxan-induced diabetes. Injection of IC improved rat survival by only 40%. Thus, the hybrid tissue-engineered construct (fibrous titanium nickelide scaffold+IC) is biocompatible when administered intraperitoneally, stimulates regeneration in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes, improves blood glucose utilization processes, and restores suppressed leukopoiesis. It is assumed that hepatocytes can be the main target cells of the hybrid tissue-engineering construct.
Keywords: biochemical and hematological parameters; biocompatibility; hybrid scaffold; lifespan of animals; rats.
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