Figure 4.

In vitro viability of mouse islets. (a) Viability of mouse islets was measured following the 90 min low−high−low (1.6, 16.6, and 1.6 mM) glucose stimulation in which islets were subjected to the mock-loop circuit with (+Ck) or without cytokine exposure for SNM- and SμM-encapsulation under convection (SNM, C & SμM, C). The naked islet culture under static culture with cytokine exposure (Control,+Ck) showed significantly less viability compared to all other conditions (mean ± SEM, n ≥ 3, *p < 0.05). (b) Viable (green) and dead (red) cells were stained for control static culture without cytokines (A: Control), control static culture with cytokines (B: Control, + Ck), SNM-encapsulated mouse islets under convection without cytokines (C: SNM, C), SNM-encapsulated mouse islets under convection with cytokines (D: SNM, C, + Ck), SμM-encapsulated mouse islets under convection without cytokines (E: SμM, C), and SμM-encapsulated mouse islets under convection with cytokines (F: SμM, C,+Ck). Experiments with cytokine exposure (indicated by+Ck) consisted of media containing TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-1β. Both control static culture with cytokines (B: Control, + Ck) and SμM-encapsulated mouse islets under convection with cytokines (F: SμM, C, + Ck) showed a higher level of islet damage compared to other groups, however, the viability of SμM-encapsulated mouse islets under convection with cytokines (F: SμM, C, + Ck) was not statistically significant (n.s.).