Unlocking the potential of supercritical CO₂ for an efficient pancreatic tissue decellularization: a step towards an advanced cell therapy

Decellularization, the process of removing cells from a tissue or organ while preserving the extracellular matrix (ECM), often employs harsh chemical solvents, compromising ECM integrity. This is particularly damaging in case of soft tissues. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), achieved at 31ºC and 74Bar, is an alternative solvent which presents high transfer rates and diffusivity while being chemically inert and non-toxic. This study investigates the potential use of scCO₂ for decellularizing pancreas, a highly sensitive tissue, aiming to preserve as effectively as possible, its native architecture and biochemical cues, while ensuring its immune tolerance. This approach seeks to establish a platform for pancreatic cell therapy applications. Porcine pancreatic tissue was decellularized by traditional and scCO₂ decellularization methods. Our first results indicate that the use of scCO₂ contributes to a more efficient cell removal protocol, while it allowed to considerably reduce the use of chemicals and proved to be less time consuming. This innovative approach highlights scCO₂ as a viable alternative for pancreatic tissue decellularization, opening new opportunities for advancing current cell therapies that lack proper mimetic environments to maintain cell viability and post-implantation functionality.