Controllable generation and encapsulation of alginate fibers using droplet-based microfluidics

Martino, Chiara; Statzer, Cyril; Vigolo, Daniele; deMello, Andrew J.

doi:10.1039/c5lc01150g

Cited by 23 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…30,31 Since gelling kinetics can be tuned using ion chelate combinations and pH adjustment, CLEX is not reliant on delaying the flux of Ca 2+ using a sheathing fluid and therefore chip design may be simplified. We propose a simplified route for facile on-chip fiber synthesis with only two aqueous components (one carrier fluid and one fluid with the ionotropic polymer) in a hydrodynamic flow focusing device (Figs.…”

Section: Clex For Production Of Cell Containing Alginate Microfibersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…6,42,43 The sheathing buffer acts as a barrier to delay diffusion of Ca 2+ ions towards the alginate and therefore slows gelling. Currently, this is the standard approach for alginate fiber synthesis using microfluidic devices, 30,31 but has also been demonstrated for alginate bead synthesis. 6 The main drawback to this approach is inhomogeneous gelation and complexity in 20 However, the cellviability is strongly dependent on rapidly removing the oleic acid through an on-chip exchange mechanism with mineral oil introduced by an additional channel inlet.…”

Section: Comparison With Other Gelation Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Versatile, cell and chip friendly method to gel alginate in microfluidic devices

et al. 2016

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Alginate is used extensively in microfluidic devices to produce discreet beads or fibres at the microscale. Such structures may be used to encapsulate sensitive cargoes such as cells and biomolecules. On chip gelation of alginate represents a significant challenge since gelling kinetics or physicochemical conditions are not biocompatible. Here we present a new method that offers a hitherto unprecedented level of control over the gelling kinetics and pH applied to the encapsulation of a variety of cells in both bead and fibre geometries. This versatile approach proved extremely simple to implement and resulted in highly reliable device operation and very high viability of several different encapsulated cell types. We believe this method offers a paradigm shift in alginate gelling technology for application in microfluidics.

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Section: Clex For Production Of Cell Containing Alginate Microfibersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Comparison With Other Gelation Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Versatile, cell and chip friendly method to gel alginate in microfluidic devices

et al. 2016

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“…8A and B). Droplet microfluidics is a new area in microfluidics research and has been extensively studied and reported due to its various unique advantages [180][181][182][183] . Demello et al discussed a lot of methods for the microfluidic encapsulation, and they proposed it is easier to analyze single cell for encapsulating cells within aqueous droplets surrounded by an immiscible fluid 169 .…”

Section: Bio-electrosprays and Cell Electrospinningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoscale bio-platforms for living cell interrogation: current status and future perspectives

Chang

Chen

et al. 2016

Nanoscale

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The living cell is a complex entity that dynamically responds to both intracellular and extracellular environments. Extensive efforts have been devoted to the understanding intracellular functions orchestrated with mRNAs and proteins in investigation of the fate of a single-cell, including proliferation, apoptosis, motility, differentiation and mutations. The rapid development of modern cellular analysis techniques (e.g. PCR, western blotting, immunochemistry, etc.) offers new opportunities in quantitative analysis of RNA/protein expression up to a single cell level. The recent entries of nanoscale platforms that include kinds of methodologies with high spatial and temporal resolution have been widely employed to probe the living cells. In this tutorial review paper, we give insight into background introduction and technical innovation of currently reported nanoscale platforms for living cell interrogation. These highlighted technologies are documented in details within four categories, including nano-biosensors for label-free detection of living cells, nanodevices for living cell probing by intracellular marker delivery, high-throughput platforms towards clinical current, and the progress of microscopic imaging platforms for cell/tissue tracking in vitro and in vivo. Perspectives for system improvement were also discussed to solve the limitations remains in current techniques, for the purpose of clinical use in future.

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“…7 Sustained release of incorporated functional materials is a key function of alginate for accelerated wound healing of bone and cartilage as well as for the regeneration of muscles and nerves and the pancreas and liver. Combined with microfluidic control, alginate has been used to form beads, 8 strings, 9 and even coils, 10 and cells encapsulated within alginate were shown to thrive well. Combined with microfluidic control, alginate has been used to form beads, 8 strings, 9 and even coils, 10 and cells encapsulated within alginate were shown to thrive well.…”

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confidence: 99%

Production of Alginate Sub‐micron Particles and Their Biological Application

Choi

Kim

Hong

et al. 2017

Bulletin Korean Chem Soc

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Alginate includes several kinds of carbohydrate polymers with variable properties originating from various seaweeds. Because it is derived from several origins, including Laminaria hyperborean, Laminaria digitata, Laminaria japonica, Ascophyllum nodosum, and Macrocystis pyrifera, 1 and structured by the atypical appearance of two building blocks, D-mannuronic aid and L-guluronic acid, 2 there are over 200 kinds of commercially available alginates reaching a commercial value of 125 million US dollars in around 2008. 3,4 Although bacterial fermentation can produce alginate with defined chemical and physical properties, 5 the approximate annual production, about 38 000 tons worldwide, mainly depends on various seaweeds. 4 Because of its low cost, negligible toxicity and biocompatibility, alginate has attracted much attention not only for research but also for biomedical applications. 6 Wound dressing is one of the emerging applications of alginate, which makes use of its hydro-buffering ability. 7 Sustained release of incorporated functional materials is a key function of alginate for accelerated wound healing of bone and cartilage as well as for the regeneration of muscles and nerves and the pancreas and liver. 6 More recently, miniaturized cell culture techniques have focused on alginate for its easy molding properties in addition to its biocompatibility. Combined with microfluidic control, alginate has been used to form beads, 8 strings, 9 and even coils, 10 and cells encapsulated within alginate were shown to thrive well. [11][12][13][14] Alginate forms gels from 0.5 to 3% solutions which is still very viscous. The high viscosity of ungelled solution makes it impossible for microfluidic devices to fabricate micron-level flow layers. 15 Consequently, general alginate particles are made dropwise, which results in several hundred micrometer-sized 16 or millimeter-sized particles, 17 and the smallest alginate particles made by microfluidic focusing techniques are limited to be more than several tens of micrometers reducing the scope of potential applications. 15,18,19 A sonication method was also tried to make micron-sized alginate beads which could be transfected into cells; however, the method was only partly successful making several micrometer-sized particles with heterogeneity. 20,21 Considering the previous and potent applications, alginate particles of less than a micrometer will provide new practical applications in addition to their use in research. 15 Alginate solution is easily gelled by the addition of divalent cations such as calcium. 22,23 Therefore, the most popular way to make gelled alginate structures is just mixing with or dumping into cation solution, generally calcium chloride, at ambient temperature. Instantaneous surface gelation ensures the solidification of the overall structures, of which the inner alginate would be gelled by the diffused cations. 23 Therefore, the initial state of mixing with cation solution is the point of shape formation.In this report, we produced alginate particle smal...

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Controllable generation and encapsulation of alginate fibers using droplet-based microfluidics

Cited by 23 publications

References 33 publications

Versatile, cell and chip friendly method to gel alginate in microfluidic devices

Versatile, cell and chip friendly method to gel alginate in microfluidic devices

Nanoscale bio-platforms for living cell interrogation: current status and future perspectives

Production of Alginate Sub‐micron Particles and Their Biological Application

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