Tailoring the assembly of collagen fibers in alginate microspheres

Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2021 Feb:121:111840. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.111840. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

Abstract

The application of microspheres instead of bulk hydrogels in cell-laden biomaterials offers multiple advantages such as a high surface-to-volume-ratio and, consequently, a better nutrition and oxygen transfer to and from cells. The preparation of inert alginate microspheres is facile, quick, and well-established and the fabrication of alginate-collagen microspheres has been previously reported. However, no detailed characterization of the collagen fibrillogenesis in the alginate matrix is available. We use second-harmonic imaging microscopy reflection confocal microscopy and turbidity assay to study the assembly of collagen in alginate microspheres. We show that the assembly of collagen fibers in a gelled alginate matrix is a complex process that can be aided by addition of small polar molecules, such as glycine and by a careful selection of the gelling buffer used to prepare alginate hydrogels.

Keywords: Alginate; Collagen fibrillogenesis; Microspheres; Tissue engineering.

MeSH terms

  • Alginates*
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Collagen*
  • Hexuronic Acids
  • Hydrogels
  • Microspheres

Substances

  • Alginates
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Hexuronic Acids
  • Hydrogels
  • Collagen