Templated islet cells and small islet cell clusters for diabetes treatment

A method of evaluating a xenobiotic for biological activity, said method comprising:

• providing a device comprising:
• a substrate having a substantially planar top surface;
• a side-wall extending upwardly from the surface in a direction generally perpendicular to a plane defined by the top surface and circumscribing a portion of the surface, said side-wall and top surface cooperatively forming a liquid impermeable well, wherein the well has a bottom surface corresponding to the portion of the top surface circumscribed by the sidewall;
• and
• a plurality of divots disposed in the bottom surface of the well,
• wherein each divot is defined by an opening in the bottom surface of the well, a rounded bottom surface spaced from the opening, and an interior side-wall surface extending between the rounded bottom surface and the opening, said divots being free of coatings that increase cell adhesion, wherein each divot has a depth of between 50-300 μm and a diameter of between 100-300 μm;
• said device comprising a plurality of said wells, each well comprising a plurality of said divots;
• culturing cells in said divots to form a 3-dimensional cell cluster in each divot;
• adding a first xenobiotic to at least a first well, wherein said first xenobiotic comes into contact with a first plurality of cell clusters in said first well, each cell cluster being in respective divots in said first well;
• and
• evaluating the effects of said first xenobiotic on said first plurality of cell clusters.