title: Flicking technique for microencapsulation of cells in calcium alginate leading to the microtissue formation.
abstract: Microbeads have wide applications in biomedical engineering field that include drug delivery, encapsulation of biomolecules, tissue padding and tissue regeneration. In this paper, we report a simple, yet efficient, flicking technique to produce microcapsules of calcium alginate at a narrow distribution of size. The system consists of an infusion pump and a customised flicker that taps the syringe needle for dispersing microcapsules of sodium alginate that polymerised in the calcium chloride solution. The flow rate of the syringe pump and the velocity of the flicker were studied to achieve a well controlled and tunable size distribution of microbeads ranging from 200 to 400 μm. At a flow rate of 4 μl/min and flicking rate of 80 rpm, a narrow size distribution of microbeads were produced. Via this technique, HaCaT cells were encapsulated in calcium alginate microbeads that grown into microtissues with a size ranging from 100 to 300 μm after two weeks of culture. These microtissues could be potentially useful for pharmacological application.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering , MiNT-SRC Research Center, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia , Batu Pahat , Johor , Malaysia ;
authors.forename: Soon Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering , MiNT-SRC Research Center, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia , Batu Pahat , Johor , Malaysia ;|b Biosensor and Bioengineering Laboratory , MiNT-SRC Research Center, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia , Batu Pahat , Johor , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Chin Fhong
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Soon
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering , MiNT-SRC Research Center, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia , Batu Pahat , Johor , Malaysia ;
authors.forename: Wai Yean
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering , MiNT-SRC Research Center, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia , Batu Pahat , Johor , Malaysia ;
authors.forename: Kian Sek
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Tee
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002214:Capsules / Q000737:chemistry; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000166:cytology; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D002214:Capsules; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid
keywords: Flicking; HaCaT cells; calcium alginate; microbeads; tissue