Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2025
07:13
Alginate Encapsulation of Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Co-axial Nozzle
Published on: July 2, 2015
12.7K
Evaluation of Alginate Hydrogel Microstrands for Stromal Cell Encapsulation and Maintenance
Sujith Chander Reddy Kollampally1, Xulang Zhang1, Nicholas Moskwa2,3
1Department of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering, University at Albany, State University of New York, 257 Fuller Road, Albany, NY 12203, USA.
Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 27, 2024
Summary
Alginate hydrogel microstrands effectively deliver mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), maintaining their viability and phenotype for potential organ regeneration therapies. This novel delivery system supports MSCs for enhanced therapeutic applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cell Therapy
Background:
- Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) show promise for organ regeneration due to anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative properties.
- Effective delivery systems are crucial for enhancing MSC retention and preserving their therapeutic characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alginate hydrogel microstrands as a novel cell delivery vehicle for MSCs.
- To assess the viability, growth, and phenotype maintenance of MSCs within these microstrands.
Main Methods:
- Developed a Syringe-in-Syringe method for fabricating porous alginate microstrands (approx. 200 µm diameter).
- Evaluated cell viability, growth, and marker expression of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and E16 salivary mesenchyme cells within microstrands.
- Optimized the alamarBlue assay for quantifying viable cell growth in microstrands.
Main Results:
- Achieved high cell viability (>90%) for both cell types within the alginate microstrands.
- Demonstrated the influence of initial cell seeding density and culture duration on cell viability and growth.
- Confirmed the maintenance of a homeostatic phenotype for E16 mesenchyme cells in the microstrands.
Conclusions:
- Alginate hydrogel microstrands are a feasible and effective delivery system for MSCs.
- The developed fabrication method and optimized assay support the use of microstrands for MSC delivery in regenerative medicine.
- This approach facilitates the preservation of MSC viability and phenotype for therapeutic applications.
