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Generation of Alginate Microspheres for Biomedical Applications
Published on: August 12, 2012
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Covalently polysaccharide-based alginate/chitosan hydrogel embedded alginate microspheres for BSA encapsulation and
Lian Xing1, Jinchen Sun1, Huaping Tan1
1School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|January 19, 2019
Summary
This study developed a novel composite hydrogel scaffold using natural polysaccharides for soft tissue engineering and protein delivery. The enhanced mechanical properties and controlled release of bovine serum albumin (BSA) show promise for medical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Hydrogel scaffolds are promising for tissue engineering and drug delivery.
- Natural polysaccharides offer biodegradable and biocompatible material options.
- Developing advanced composite materials is crucial for soft tissue regeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a covalently cross-linked composite hydrogel scaffold using N-succinyl chitosan (N-Chi) and oxidized alginate (OAlg).
- To investigate the use of alginate microspheres embedded within the hydrogel for enhanced protein delivery.
- To evaluate the mechanical properties, degradation, and drug release kinetics of the composite scaffold for soft tissue engineering.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized N-succinyl chitosan (N-Chi) and oxidized alginate (OAlg) for hydrogel formation via Schiff-base reaction.
- Prepared alginate microspheres (2-10 μm) using an emulsion cross-linking technique with Ca2+.
- Encapsulated Bull Serum Albumin (BSA) into alginate microspheres and incorporated them into the OAlg/N-Chi hydrogel matrix.
- Characterized the composite scaffolds for gelation, morphology, mechanical strength, swelling, degradation, and in vitro BSA release.
Main Results:
- The composite hydrogel exhibited improved mechanical properties, with a compressive modulus of 57.3 KPa for scaffolds containing 0.5 mL microspheres, higher than the control hydrogel.
- Alginate microspheres acted as a reinforcing filler, enhancing the toughness of the soft OAlg/N-Chi hydrogels.
- Controlled release of BSA from the composite hydrogels was significantly slower compared to hydrogels or microspheres alone.
- The composite scaffold demonstrated stable properties and controlled protein release.
Conclusions:
- The developed injectable composite hydrogel scaffold, utilizing natural polysaccharides and embedded alginate microspheres, offers enhanced mechanical stability.
- This scaffold system facilitates controlled protein delivery, showing potential for soft tissue engineering applications.
- The Schiff-base cross-linking and microsphere incorporation provide a versatile platform for advanced biomaterial development.
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