Efficient One-Step Production of Microencapsulated Hepatocyte Spheroids with Enhanced Functions.

ABSTRACT: Hepatocyte spheroids microencapsulated in hydrogels can contribute to liver research in various capacities. The conventional approach of microencapsulating spheroids produces a variable number of spheroids per microgel and requires an extra step of spheroid loading into the gel. Here, a microfluidics technology bypassing the step of spheroid loading and controlling the spheroid characteristics is reported. Double-emulsion droplets are used to generate microencapsulated homotypic or heterotypic hepatocyte spheroids (all as single spheroids <200 μm in diameter) with enhanced functions in 4 h. The composition of the microgel is tunable as demonstrated by improved hepatocyte functions during 24 d culture (albumin secretion, urea secretion, and cytochrome P450 activity) when alginate-collagen c

SUBMITTER: Chan HF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4982767 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature