Biocompatible hydrogel coating on single living cells through visible light-induced polymerization

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Cell Biology
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Cell encapsulation and coating are crucial for various biomedical applications.
• Developing efficient and non-toxic methods for cell functionalization is an ongoing challenge.
• Visible light-mediated processes offer potential for spatiotemporal control in biological systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a visible light-activated method for efficient hydrogel coating of individual mammalian cells.
• To utilize a single molecule as a photocatalyst, initiator, and fluorophore for streamlined cell functionalization.
• To assess the biocompatibility and cell viability following the hydrogel coating process.

Main Methods:

• Employing visible light-mediated photocatalysis with a fluorescein-tagged biocompatible anchor molecule.
• Co-polymerizing polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and N-vinylpyrrolidone to form hydrogel shells around cells.
• Encapsulating NIH3T3 fibroblast cells within the hydrogel matrix.

Main Results:

• Achieved efficient hydrogel coating of individual mammalian cells using visible light.
• Fluorescein successfully acted as a trifecta: photocatalyst, initiator, and fluorophore.
• NIH3T3 fibroblast cells encapsulated in PEGDA and N-vinylpyrrolidone hydrogels showed no significant decrease in viability.

Conclusions:

• Visible light-mediated photocatalysis provides an effective and biocompatible strategy for hydrogel coating of mammalian cells.
• The trifunctional fluorescein-tagged molecule simplifies the cell encapsulation process.
• This technique holds promise for applications requiring cell immobilization and functionalization without compromising cell health.