Biological characteristics of glucose-responsive microcapsules carrying beta-TC3 cells / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:To prepare glucose-responsive microcapsules which can control insulin release as changing the glucose concentration in the medium is of great significance to control the occurrence and development of diabetes mel itus. OBJECTIVE:To study the performance of glucose-responsive alginate/modified-chitosan/alginate microcapsules carryingβ-TC3 cells. METHODS:Glucose-responsive alginate/modified-chitosan/alginate microcapsules were prepared by layer-by-layer self-assembly method to evaluate the performance. And the glucose-responsive microcapsules carryingβ-TC3 cells were prepared to observe the cel proliferation within the microcapsules. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The integrity rate of glucose-responsive alginate/modified-chitosan/alginate microcapsules could be 95%after 48 hours oscil ation, and the hardness of microcapsules lowered, but the elasticity increased. The permeability test showed that microcapsules intercepted macromolecular substances such as bovine serum albumin and immuno-globulin G. The microcapsules could release more insulin with the increase of glucose concentration. As described above, the glucose-responsive alginate/modified-chitosan/alginate microcapsules had good mechanical strength, immunoisolation effect and glucose sensitivity. Theβ-TC3 cells entrapped in the glucose-responsive microcapsules could grow wel and the peak of cel proliferation lagged behind as compared with non-microencapsulated cells, indicating the glucose-responsive microcapsules had good biocompatibility.