title: Microfluidic chip-based synthesis of alginate microspheres for encapsulation of immortalized human cells.
abstract: Cellular transplantation is a promising technology with great clinical potential in regenerative medicine and disease management. However, effective control over patient immunological response is essential. The encapsulation of cells within hydrogel microspheres is an increasingly prevalent method for the protection of cellular grafts from immune rejection. Microfluidic "chip" reactors present elegant solutions to several capsule generation issues, including the requirement for intercapsule uniformity, high reproducibility, and sterile, good manufacturing practice compliance. This study presents a novel method for the on-chip production of stable, highly monodisperse alginate microspheres and demonstrates its utility in the encapsulation of an immortalized human-derived cell line. Four populations of immortalized human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) were encapsulated on chip within monodisperse alginate capsules. Cell viability measurements were recorded for each of the four encapsulated populations for 90 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3XQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Workman
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Dunnett
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kille
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Palmer
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2004 Sep 1;10(17):2550-2
references.pmid: 15300903
references.citation: Transplant Proc. 2005 Dec;37(10):4589-93
references.pmid: 16387177
references.citation: Anal Chem. 2002 May 1;74(9):2014-20
references.pmid: 12033301
references.citation: J Microencapsul. 2003 May-Jun;20(3):303-16
references.pmid: 12881112
references.citation: Biomacromolecules. 2001 Winter;2(4):1089-96
references.pmid: 11777378
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2006 Jul;6(7):954-7
references.pmid: 16804602
references.citation: J Biomed Mater Res A. 2006 Apr;77(1):136-47
references.pmid: 16392122
references.citation: Science. 2005 Aug 5;309(5736):887-8
references.pmid: 16081724
references.citation: Transplantation. 2005 Jan 15;79(1):52-8
references.pmid: 15714169
references.citation: Tissue Eng. 2006 Oct;12(10):2789-99
references.pmid: 17518648
references.citation: Singapore Med J. 2006 Jun;47(6):504-11
references.pmid: 16752019
references.citation: Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 1992 Oct;38(1):39-45
references.pmid: 1369009
references.citation: Biotechnol Appl Biochem. 2004 Apr;39(Pt 2):159-64
references.pmid: 15032736
references.citation: Diabetes Care. 2006 Jan;29(1):137-8
references.pmid: 16373911
references.citation: Anal Chem. 2004 Aug 1;76(15):4495-500
references.pmid: 15283593
references.citation: Biotechnol Prog. 2006 May-Jun;22(3):791-800
references.pmid: 16739963
references.citation: J Am Chem Soc. 2006 Sep 20;128(37):12205-10
references.pmid: 16967971
references.citation: Nature. 2005 Sep 29;437(7059):648-55
references.pmid: 16193039