The pancreatic islet is surrounded by an extracellular matrix (ECM) composed of laminin, collagen IV, and proteoglycans, that support islet function and viability. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by the immunemediated loss of insulin-producing β-cells in the islet. Islet infiltration by activated immune cells results in the degradation of the peri-islet ECM eliminating critical […]