Deterministic encapsulation of single cells in thin tunable microgels for niche modelling and therapeutic delivery

Indexed by:Journal Article

First Author:Mao, Angelo S.

Correspondence Author:Mooney, DJ (reprint author), Harvard Univ, Wyss Inst Biol Inspired Engn, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.; Mooney, DJ (reprint author), Harvard Univ, Sch Engn & Appl Sci, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.

Co-author:Cooper, Madeline,Hu, Yuebi,Zhang, Liyuan,Wang, Huanan,Uzun, Oktay,Li, Weiwei,Mooney, David J.,Shin, Jae-Won,Utech, Stefanie,Weitz, David A.

Date of Publication:2017-02-01

Journal:NATURE MATERIALS

Included Journals:ESI高被引论文、EI、SCIE

Document Type:J

Volume:16

Issue:2

Page Number:236-243

ISSN:1476-1122

Summary:Existing techniques to encapsulate cells into microscale hydro gels generally yield high polymer-to-cell ratios and lack control over the hydrogel's mechanical properties(1). Here, we report a microfluidic-based method for encapsulating single cells in an approximately six-micrometre layer of alginate that increases the proportion of cell-containing microgels by a factor of ten, with encapsulation efficiencies over 90%. We show that in vitro cell viability was maintained over a three-day period, that the microgels are mechanically tractable, and that, for microscale cell assemblages of encapsulated marrow stromal cells cultured in microwells, osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated cells depends on gel stiffness and cell density. We also show that intravenous injection of singly encapsulated marrow stromal cells into mice delays clearance kinetics and sustains donor-derived soluble factors in vivo. The encapsulation of single cells in tunable hydrogels should find use in a variety of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.

First Author:Mao, Angelo S.

All the Authors:Cooper, Madeline

All the Authors:Hu, Yuebi

All the Authors:Zhang, Liyuan

All the Authors:Wang, Huanan

All the Authors:Uzun, Oktay

All the Authors:Li, Weiwei

All the Authors:Mooney, David J.

All the Authors:Shin, Jae-Won

All the Authors:Utech, Stefanie

Correspondence Author:Mooney, DJ (reprint author), Harvard Univ, Wyss Inst Biol Inspired Engn, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.; Mooney, DJ (reprint author), Harvard Univ, Sch Engn & Appl Sci, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.

All the Authors:Weitz, David A.