Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026
07:13
Alginate Encapsulation of Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Co-axial Nozzle
Published on: July 2, 2015
13.4K
Dual-crosslinked homogeneous alginate microspheres for mesenchymal stem cell encapsulation
Jennifer N Etter1, Michael Karasinski1, Jesse Ware1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.
Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine
|August 29, 2018
Summary
Researchers developed smart hydrogel microspheres using microfluidic devices for human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) encapsulation. This method ensures high cell viability and tunable mechanical properties for tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Stem Cell Biology
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Developing methods for homogeneous stimuli-responsive microsphere fabrication for cell encapsulation and delivery is crucial for enhancing cell viability.
- Traditional hydrogels often involve toxic crosslinking methods and lack the mechanical properties to mimic native musculoskeletal tissues.
- Smart hydrogels offer a promising alternative for creating biocompatible and mechanically tunable microenvironments for cell encapsulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To optimize microsphere fabrication techniques using custom microfluidic devices (MFDs).
- To encapsulate viable human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within smart-alginate microspheres.
- To achieve tunable mechanical properties in microspheres using visible-light crosslinking.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of microspheres using custom microfluidic devices (MFDs) and non-toxic smart hydrogel materials.
- Encapsulation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within alginate-based microspheres.
- Characterization of microsphere production via optical methods.
- Verification of MSC viability post-encapsulation using fluorescence assays after visible-light crosslinking.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated homogeneous smart-alginate microspheres with tunable size and mechanical properties using MFDs.
- Maintained high MSC viability after encapsulation and subsequent visible-light crosslinking.
- Demonstrated the potential of these microspheres for cell delivery applications.
Conclusions:
- Custom microfluidic devices combined with smart hydrogels provide an effective platform for fabricating viable MSC-laden microspheres.
- Visible-light crosslinking offers a non-toxic alternative for hydrogel fabrication, preserving cell viability.
- The developed microspheres exhibit tunable mechanical properties suitable for mimicking native tissue environments and facilitating cell delivery.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Mesenchymal Stem Cells
5.6K
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that can differentiate into most connective tissue cell types, except for hematopoietic cells, depending upon the source of MSCs. For example, bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) can differentiate into osteocytes, hepatocytes, and pancreatic and neuronal cells. MSCs can be isolated from various sources such as bone marrow, placenta, adipose tissue, teeth, and Wharton’s jelly, a gelatinous substance in the umbilical cord. The ease of their...
5.6K
01:23Test for Homogeneity
2.4K
The goodness–of–fit test can be used to decide whether a population fits a given distribution, but it will not suffice to decide whether two populations follow the same unknown distribution. A different test, called the test for homogeneity, can be used to conclude whether two populations have the same distribution. To calculate the test statistic for a test for homogeneity, follow the same procedure as with the test of independence. The hypotheses for the test for homogeneity can...
2.4K
01:32Tissue Homogenization and Cell Lysis
10.3K
Tissue homogenization involves disintegrating tissue architecture and lysing cells, and is an early step in isolating and analyzing cellular components. The method used for homogenization depends on the sample type, the amount of sample available, the analyte to be obtained, and the sensitivity of the method. These methods are broadly classified as mechanical and non-mechanical methods.
Mechanical methods of tissue homogenization
These methods rely on applying external physical force to disrupt...
Mechanical methods of tissue homogenization
These methods rely on applying external physical force to disrupt...
10.3K
01:33Adult Stem Cells
33.9K
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce more stem cells or progenitor cells that differentiate into mature, specialized cell types. All the cells in the body are generated from stem cells in the early embryo, but small populations of stem cells are also present in many adult tissues including the bone marrow, brain, skin, and gut. These adult stem cells typically produce the various cell types found in that tissue—to replace cells that are damaged or to continuously...
33.9K
00:58Embryonic Stem Cells
32.5K
Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.
32.5K
00:57Embryonic Stem Cells
5.1K
Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...
5.1K