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Updated: Nov 4, 2025
Generation of Alginate Microspheres for Biomedical Applications
Published on: August 12, 2012
Alginate microgels as delivery vehicles for cell-based therapies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Mengjie Xu1, Miao Qin2, Yizhu Cheng2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Research Center for Nano-biomaterials & Regenerative Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, PR China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Material Strength & Structural Impact, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, PR China.
Abstract:
Conventional stem cell delivery typically utilize administration of directly injection of allogenic cells or domesticated autogenic cells. It may lead to immune clearance of these cells by the host immune systems. Alginate microgels have been demonstrated to improve the survival of encapsulated cells and overcome rapid immune clearance after transplantation. Moreover, alginate microgels can serve as three-dimensional extracellular matrix to support cell growth and protect allogenic cells from rapid immune clearance, with functions as delivery vehicles to achieve sustained release of therapeutic proteins and growth factors from the encapsulated cells. Besides, cell-loaded alginate microgels can potentially be applied in regenerative medicine by serving as injectable engineered scaffolds to support tissue regrowth. In this review, the properties of alginate and different methods to produce alginate microgels are introduced firstly. Then, we focus on diverse applications of alginate microgels for cell delivery in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
