title: Encapsulation of mesenchymal stem cells from Wharton's jelly in alginate microbeads.
abstract: The description of a microencapsulation procedure for Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) is reported. The applied method is based on the generation of monodisperse droplets by a vibrational nozzle. An ionic alginate encapsulation procedure was utilized for the microbeads hardening. Different experimental parameters were analyzed, including frequency and amplitude of vibration, polymer pumping rate, and distance between the nozzle and the gelling bath. The produced barium-alginate microbeads were characterized by excellent morphological characteristics as well as a very narrow size distribution. The microencapsulation procedure did not alter the morphology and viability of the encapsulated WJMSCs. In addition, the current paper reports the functional properties in terms of secretive profiles of both free and encapsulated WJMSCs. The analyzed factors were members of the family of interleukins, chemokines, growth factors, and soluble forms of adhesion molecules. These experiments showed that despite encapsulation, most of the proteins analyzed were secreted both by the free and encapsulated cells, even if in a different extent. In conclusion, the described encapsulation procedure represents a promising strategy to utilize WJMSCs for possible in vivo applications in tissue engineering and biomedicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ferrara , Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Penolazzi
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tavanti
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vecchiatini
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lambertini
authors.forename: Fortunato
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vesce
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gambari
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzitelli
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luca
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nastruzzi
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Piva
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001464:Barium / Q000737:chemistry; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D008863:Microspheres; D008954:Models, Biological; D010012:Osteogenesis; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011108:Polymers; D001464:Barium; D020723:Glucuronic Acid