Recent advances in the use of encapsulated cells for effective delivery of therapeutics.

Cell encapsulation can be defined as a living cell approach for the long-term delivery of therapeutic products. It consists of the immobilization of therapeutically active cells within a general polymer matrix that permits the ingress of nutrients and oxygen and the egress of therapeutic protein products but impedes the immune contact of the enclosed cells. In recent decades many attempts have evaluated the potential of this technology to release therapeutic agents for the treatment of different pathologies and disorders. At present, cell encapsulation may be used as a technological platform to improve knowledge and clinical use of stem cells. This review describes the main issues related to this cell-based approach and summarizes some of the most interesting therapeutic applications.