title: Natural polymers for the microencapsulation of cells.
abstract: The encapsulation of living mammalian cells within a semi-permeable hydrogel matrix is an attractive procedure for many biomedical and biotechnological applications, such as xenotransplantation, maintenance of stem cell phenotype and bioprinting of three-dimensional scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this review, we focus on naturally derived polymers that can form hydrogels under mild conditions and that are thus capable of entrapping cells within controlled volumes. Our emphasis will be on polysaccharides and proteins, including agarose, alginate, carrageenan, chitosan, gellan gum, hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin, gelatin, fibrin and silk fibroin. We also discuss the technologies commonly employed to encapsulate cells in these hydrogels, with particular attention on microencapsulation.
authors.affiliation: 3B's, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, 4806-909 Caldas das Taipas, Portugal ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2133-4379
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gasperini
authors.affiliation: 3B's, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, 4806-909 Caldas das Taipas, Portugal ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal jmano@dep.uminho.pt.
authors.forename: João F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.affiliation: 3B's, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, 4806-909 Caldas das Taipas, Portugal ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rui L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002214:Capsules / Q000737:chemistry; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002214:Capsules; D020100:Hydrogels; D011134:Polysaccharides; D003094:Collagen
keywords: cell encapsulation; microencapsulation; natural polymers