[The release of immobilized substances from Symplex capsules]

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Immobilized biological objects, such as preimplantative mammal embryos, require specific metabolites for survival.
• Understanding substance diffusion across encapsulation membranes is crucial for maintaining cell viability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a novel microencapsulation technique focusing on substance release and diffusion through the Symplex capsule membrane.
• To evaluate the permeability of the Symplex membrane for essential metabolites required by immobilized biological systems.

Main Methods:

• Microencapsulation of various substances including peptide and proteohormones, cyanmethemoglobin, and proteins within simple and multiple Symplex Capsules.
• Quantification of diffusion processes and substance release rates across the capsule membrane under varying experimental conditions.

Main Results:

• All tested substances (peptides, proteohormones, cyanmethemoglobin, proteins) successfully permeated the Symplex membrane.
• Substance release speed was significantly influenced by capsule size, ion force, temperature, immobilized substance concentration, and molecular structure.
• Multiple Symplex Capsules demonstrated a delayed substance release compared to simple capsules.

Conclusions:

• The Symplex membrane is suitable for cell compartmentation, facilitating the passage of vital substances for immobilized objects.
• The described microencapsulation method offers diverse application possibilities in biotechnology and regenerative medicine.