title: Cell encapsulation: technical and clinical advances.
abstract: Treating many chronic diseases will require a tight, minute-to-minute regulation of therapeutic molecules that is currently not achievable with most pharmaceutical therapies. For these diseases, implantable living cellular systems may be able to provide unlimited drug delivery, enabling seamless matching of treatment duration with disease longevity. Cell encapsulation is an advanced technology that achieves this goal and represents a viable therapeutic option. The advanced state of the field has allowed researchers to inch forward into therapeutic domains previously untouchable because of the myriad disparate fields that intersect biomaterials and cells. Here, we discuss the next generation of clinical trials and potential approaches, 'smart' and responsive encapsulation systems, sophisticated and multifunctional devices, and novel imaging tools, together with the future challenges in the field.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country, Vitoria, Spain; Networking Biomedical Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN, SLFPB-EHU, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Electronic address: gorka.orive@ehu.es.
authors.forename: Gorka
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orive
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country, Vitoria, Spain; Networking Biomedical Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN, SLFPB-EHU, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Edorta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: ONIRIS, UMR CNRS GEPEA 6144 route de la Géraudière, BP 82225, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poncelet
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country, Vitoria, Spain; Networking Biomedical Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN, SLFPB-EHU, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa María
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country, Vitoria, Spain; Networking Biomedical Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN, SLFPB-EHU, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pedraz
authors.affiliation: NsGene, Inc., 225 Chapman Street, Providence, RI 02905, USA.
authors.forename: Lars U
authors.initials: LU
authors.lastname: Wahlberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Medical Biology; Immunoendocrinology, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.de.vos@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.affiliation: NsGene, Inc., 225 Chapman Street, Providence, RI 02905, USA. Electronic address: dwaine.emerich@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dwaine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Emerich
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D064591:Allografts / Q000637:transplantation; D000818:Animals; D002214:Capsules / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D064593:Heterografts / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D002214:Capsules
keywords: alginate; allografts; cell transplantation; drug delivery; microcapsules