Researchers at POSTECH create a 3D bioprinting technology that uses pancreatic bioink to enhance the treatment of diabetes.

Professor Jinah Jang has led a group of researchers at POSTECH in creating a revolutionary 3D bioprinting platform, which uses bio-ink from pancreatic tissue for the advancement of diabetes treatment. The work has recently been published in Nature Communications. It tackles the problem of simulating the pancreatic microenvironment that is necessary for the function of islet cells.

Diabetes is associated with pancreatic malfunction in which islet cells become unable to manage their blood sugar levels. Although stem cell-derived islets can be used to cure this disorder, replicating their natural environment remains a challenge.

The newly formed bio-ink known as Peri-islet Niche-like ECM (PINE), which contains extracellular matrix and basement membrane proteins obtained from the use of pancreatic tissues is developed by the team to overcome the issue. The Human Islet-like Cellular Aggregates and Vasculature (HICA-V) platform was then constructed through 3D bioprinting as it would closely mimic the human structure of endocrine pancreas.

The HICA-V platform facilitates enhanced insulin secretion and functional maturation of islet cells while simulating diabetic-like pathological responses. Therefore, it serves as a powerful tool for diabetes research and drug development.

Professor Jang stated that, this tailored islet platform closely resembles normal pancreatic function; it aids in the maturation of islets created from stem cells and enables more effective therapeutic applications. A number of South Korean government organizations, including the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Science and ICT, are supporting this study.