title: Factors influencing the mechanical stability of alginate beads applicable for immunoisolation of mammalian cells.
abstract: Transplantation of microencapsulated cells has been proposed as a cure for many types of endocrine disorders. Alginate-based microcapsules have been used in many of the feasibility studied addressing cure of the endocrine disorders, and different cancer types. Despite years of intensive research it is still not completely understood which factors have to be controlled and documented for achieving adequate mechanical stability. Here we studied the strength and elasticity of microcapsules of different composition with and without cell load. We compared strength (force) versus elasticity (time) required to compress individual microcapsule to 60% deformation. It is demonstrated that the alginate viscosity, the size of the beads, the alginate type, the gelling time, the storage solution and the cell load are dominant factors in determining the final strength of alginate-based microcapsules while the type of gelling ion, the polyamino acid incubation time, the type of polyamino acid and the culturing time determines the elasticity of the alginate-based microcapsules. Our data underpin the essence of documenting the above mentioned factors in studies on encapsulated cells as mechanical stability is an essential factor in the success and failure of encapsulated grafts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Medical Biology; Immunoendocrinology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Centre de Recherche Public de la Santé, 84, Val Fleuri, L-1586 Luxembourg, Luxembourg. Electronic address: s.bhujbal@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Swapnil V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Bhujbal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Medical Biology; Immunoendocrinology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Genaro A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Paredes-Juarez
authors.affiliation: NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Centre de Recherche Public de la Santé, 84, Val Fleuri, L-1586 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Simone P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Niclou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Medical Biology; Immunoendocrinology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Vos
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D019245:Compressive Strength; D004548:Elasticity; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008863:Microspheres
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D000596:Amino Acids; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid
keywords: Alginate; Microcapsules; Physiochemical factors; Physiological factors; Stability