Hydrogel Encapsulation of Cells in Core-Shell Microcapsules for Cell Delivery

A newly designed 3D core-shell microcapsule structure composed of a cell-containing liquid core and an alginate hydrogel shell is fabricated using a coaxial dual-nozzle electrospinning system. Spherical alginate microcapsules are successfully generated with a core-shell structure and less than 300 μm in average diameter using this system. The thickness of the core and shell can be easily controlled by manipulating the core and shell flow rates. Cells encapsulated in core-shell microcapsules demonstrate better cell encapsulation and immune protection than those encapsulated in microbeads. The observation of a high percentage of live cells (≈80%) after encapsulation demonstrates that the voltage applied for generation of microcapsules does not significantly affect the viability of encapsulated cells. The viability of encapsulated cells does not change even after 3 d in culture, which suggests that the core-shell structure with culture medium in the core can maintain high cell survival by providing nutrients and oxygen to all cells. This newly designed core-shell structure can be extended to use in multifunctional platforms not only for delivery of cells but also for factor delivery, imaging, or diagnosis by loading other components in the core or shell. Cell microencapsulation is a promising approach for the delivery of cells in regenerative medicine. A new core-shell microcapsule with cell-containing medium in the core and alginate hydrogel as a shell provides a multifunctional platform not only for cell delivery but also for the delivery of other agents in vivo. This design maintains high cell viability after 3 days in culture.