Cytotherapeutics, Inc.

Brown University

David Knaack

Orion D Hegre

Deborah M Fiore

Megan E Laurance

A line of .beta. cells is described which is capable of maintaining high levels of insulin secretion in culture. Such cells are useful in the treatment of diabetes, for example, by encapsulation of the cells in an insulin-permeable membrane device, followed by implantation into a diabetes patient.

Glucose responsive insulin secreting .beta.-cell lines and method for

A cell culture of correctly regulated .beta.-cells having enhanced secretion of insulin is described. A method of selecting such correctly regulated .beta.-cells is also described comprising the following steps:

A method of selecting cells with enhanced secretion of a secretory product is disclosed. The method comprises exposing a population of cells to a secretagogue to result in the secretion of a secretory product from the cells and selecting from the population, cells that exhibit increased amounts of intracellular free calcium when exposed to the secretagogue. The method enables the selection of correctly regulated .beta. cells that secrete appropriate amounts of insulin in response to varying glucose levels.

Growing community of inventors

Chepachet, RI, United States of America

David Knaack