Cell encapsulation microgels

Microfluidic encapsulation of cells is a stochastic process. The number of cells per microgel is generally fitted to a Poisson statistics as... 

Another important application of polymer particles produced by MF methods involves the encapsulation of cells in the interior of polymer microgels and/or the encapsulation of cells with enzymes, cytokines, and extracellular matrix. While the specific requirements of the properties of cell-laden microgels depend on the type... 

Importantly, MF encapsulation of cells in microgels offers the capability to create vast libraries of cellular microenvironments with a broad range of compositions and physical properties. The strategy is schematically shown in Figure 8.10 for agarose microgels obtained by thermosetting of cell-laden aqueous droplets... 

Figure 8.10 Microfluidic generation of micro-gel-based cellular microenvironments with varying internal compositions, (a) Co-emulsification of two cell suspensions to achieve control over the ratio of co-encapsulated "red" and green" cells by varying the volumetric flow rates of the suspensions, Qr and gc. respectively, (b) Control of the mechanical properties of cell-laden microgels achieved by varying agarose concentration in the micro-...

Figure 8.11 Co-encapsulation of mES cells in microgels achieved at varying flow rate ratios of the corresponding cell suspensions, (a—e) Relative fluorescence intensity plots of R and C channels for sorted microgels laden with R1 mES cells labeled with Vybrant CFDA or CellTracker Orange CMTMR (G and R cells, respectively). The microgels were produced at the respective flow rate ratios of the R and G streams (a) eR 2c = 0 l (b) Qr 2c = 1 4 (c)2R 2G = l l (d) 2R 2o = 4 l (e) 2r 2c = 1 0- Gating was determined by positive controls comprising cells labeled with only...

Tian, Y.F., Devgun, J.M., Collier, J.H. Fibrillized peptide microgels for cell encapsulation and 3D ceU culture. Soft Matter 7,6005-6011 (2011)... 

Velasco D, Tumarkin E, Kumacheva E (2012) Microfluidic encapsulation of cells in polymer microgels. Small 8 1633-1642... 

Specific mode shape patterns are formed and components are forced to move to nodes and antinodes at resonant frequencies of the droplets and structures on which the droplets are placed. Microgels and microbeads of various sizes in a droplet were successfully assembled by excitation at various frequencies and intensities. The control over individual components is not possible however, a high number of components can be robustly manipulated. Both single- and double-layer structures (with a second assembly on top of the first assembly) were reported. The hydrogels used in the study are capable of encapsulating cells and proteins to create biological assemblies. 

Figure 8.7 Encapsulation efficiency at va -ing cell concentration and microgel diameter. Experimental (black) and theoretical (gray) fractions of microgels encapsulating at least one cell are plotted for 70 and 110 Jim...

The approaches illustrated in Figure 8.10a and b have been validated etperimen-tally [71,78]. For example. Figure 8.11 shows the ratio between the two types of cells (labeled as R and G), which were co-encapsulated in agarose microgels (controlled by the ratio of flow rates of the corresponding suspensions). 

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