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Published on: August 16, 2014
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Oxygen-releasing polycaprolactone/calcium peroxide composite microspheres
Mengen Zhang1, Tawan Kiratiwongwan1, Wei Shen1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Summary
New oxygen-releasing polycaprolactone/calcium peroxide microspheres were developed. Double-walled microspheres best supported pancreatic beta cell viability in 2D cultures, while single-walled microspheres excelled in 3D cultures.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Tissue Engineering
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Hypoxia poses challenges for cell viability in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
- Oxygen-releasing materials are crucial for creating a pro-angiogenic microenvironment.
- Polycaprolactone (PCL) and calcium peroxide (CaO2) offer potential for oxygen delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize oxygen-releasing PCL/CaO2 composite microspheres.
- To evaluate the oxygen release profiles of different microsphere structures.
- To assess the efficacy of these microspheres in supporting pancreatic beta cell viability under hypoxic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of homogenized, single-walled, and double-walled PCL/CaO2 microspheres using homogenization and electrospray techniques.
- Characterization using scanning electron microscopy and Alizarin Red S staining.
- In vitro evaluation of oxygen release in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) under hypoxia.
- Assessment of MIN6 pancreatic beta cell viability and metabolic activity in 2D and 3D cultures.
Main Results:
- Microsphere morphology varied, with homogenized microspheres showing pores and double-walled microspheres exhibiting a core-shell structure.
- All microsphere types maintained oxygen tension above 10% for 3-5 days.
- All PCL/CaO2 microspheres supported MIN6 cell viability for one week in 2D culture.
- Double-walled microspheres showed the highest metabolic activity in 2D cultures, while single-walled microspheres yielded the highest live cell density in 3D cultures.
Conclusions:
- Oxygen-releasing PCL/CaO2 microspheres can be fabricated with distinct structures.
- Double-walled and single-walled microspheres demonstrate differential efficacy in supporting pancreatic beta cells in 2D and 3D cultures, respectively.
- These findings suggest tailored applications for different microsphere designs in regenerative medicine.
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