Immunoisolation: at a turning point.
The principle of immunoisolation is to separate transplanted cells from the hostile immunological environment of the host by a selectively permeable membrane. Low-molecular-weight substances such as nutrients, electrolytes, oxygen and biotherapeutic agents are exchanged across the membrane, while immunocytes, antibodies and other transplant-rejection effector mechanisms are excluded. Here, Robert Lanza and William Chick review these systems.
Lanza
R P
RP
BioHybrid Technologies, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, USA. rtla@aol.com
Chick
W L
WL
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D008567:Membranes, Artificial