Modeling oxygen transport in a cylindrical bioartificial pancreas.
Encapsulated pancreatic islets in a cylindrical hollow fiber have been reported to reverse diabetes in test animals; however, for many of these animals, the effects have only been temporary. Oxygen deficiency within the fiber has been proposed as a cause of the observed loss of islet viability. A mathematical model of transport and reaction kinetics in a bioartificial pancreas (BAP) has been developed to calculate the oxygen concentration profiles in a cylindrical BAP. Simulation results indicate that hypoxic conditions will exist in large diameter fibers or fibers with islet concentrations >20,000 islets/ml. Moreover, our results show that a significant amount of oxygen is consumed in the tissue region surrounding the cylindrical BAP. Even if the islet survives in a low-oxygen environment, the insulin productivity will likely be reduced.
Thrash
Marvin
M
Department of Paper and Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Miami University, Miami, FL, USA. thrashme@muohio.edu
D000464:Alginates; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D019397:Pancreas, Artificial
D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D010100:Oxygen