Rapid exchange of oil-phase in microencapsulation chip to enhance cell viability.
This paper describes a microfluidic device for the microencapsulation of cells in alginate beads to enhance cell viability. The alginate droplet including cells was gelified with calcified oleic acid, using two-phase microfluidics. The on-chip gelation had generated monodisperse spherical alginate beads, which could not be readily obtained via conventional external gelation in a calcium chloride bath. However, the prolonged exposure of encapsulated cells to the toxic oil phase caused serious damage to the cells. Therefore, we proposed the formulation of a rapid oil-exchange chip which transforms the toxic oleic acid to harmless mineral oil. The flushing out of oleic acid after the gelation of alginate beads effected a dramatic increase in the viability of P19 embryonic carcinoma cells, up to 90%. The experimental results demonstrated that the cell viability was proportional to the flow rate of squeezing mineral oil.
Nano-Bio Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 136-791, Seoul, Korea.
Choong
C
Kim
Kang Sun
KS
Lee
Young Eun
YE
Kim
Kyu-Jung
KJ
Lee
Soo Hyun
SH
Lee
Tae Song
TS
Kim
Ji Yoon
JY
Kang
D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D051379:Mice; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008899:Mineral Oil / Q000737:chemistry*; D044367:Phase Transition; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D008899:Mineral Oil