"On the fly" continuous generation of alginate fibers using a microfluidic device.
In this paper, we introduce a new continuous production technique of calcium alginate fibers with a microfluidic platform similar to a spider in nature. We have used a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic device embedded capillary glass pipet as the apparatus for fiber generation. As a sample flow, we introduced a sodium alginate solution, and, as a sheath flow, a CaCl2 solution was introduced. The coaxial flows were generated at the intersection of both flows, and the sodium alginate was solidified to calcium alginate by diffusion of the Ca2+ ions during traveling through the outlet pipet. The diameter changes in the sample and sheath flow variations were examined, and the size of alginate fibers was well regulated by changing both flow rates. In addition, we have measured the elasticity of dried fibers. We evaluated the potential use of alginate fibers as a cell carrier by loading human fibroblasts during the "on the fly" fabrication process. From the LIVE/DEAD assay, cells survived well during the fiber fabrication process. In addition, we evaluate the capability of loading the therapeutic materials onto the alginate fibers by immobilized bovine serum albumin-fluorescein isothiocyanate in the fibers.
Shin
Su-Jung
SJ
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, 126-1, Anam-dong 5ga, Soungbuk-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Park
Ji-Young
JY
Lee
Jin-Young
JY
Park
Ho
H
Park
Yong-Doo
YD
Lee
Kyu-Back
KB
Whang
Chang-Mo
CM
Lee
Sang-Hoon
SH
D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004548:Elasticity; D005347:Fibroblasts; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012964:Sodium / Q000737:chemistry
D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D012964:Sodium