Piras, Carmen Cristina orcid.org/0000-0002-7128-2979, Kay, Alasdair Gawain orcid.org/0000-0003-1953-331X, Genever, Paul orcid.org/0000-0002-5730-8976 et al. (1 more author) (2021) Self-assembled low-molecular-weight gelator injectable microgel beads for delivery of bioactive agents. Chemical Science. pp. 3958-3965. ISSN 2041-6539
Abstract
We report the preparation of hybrid self-assembled microgel beads by combining the low molecular weight gelator (LMWG) DBS-CONHNH2 and the natural polysaccharide calcium alginate polymer gelator (PG). Microgel formulations based on LMWGs are extremely rare due to the fragility of the self-assembled networks and the difficulty of retaining any imposed shape. Our hybrid beads contain interpenetrated LMWG and PG networks, and are obtained by an emulsion method, allowing the preparation of spherical gel particles of controllable sizes with diameters in the mm or m range. Microgels based on LMWG/alginate can be easily prepared with reproducible diameters < 1m (ca. 800 nm). They are stable in water at room temperature for many months, and survive injection through a syringe. The rapid assembly of the LMWG on cooling plays an active role in helping control the diameter of the microgel beads. These LMWG microbeads retained the ability of the parent gel to deliver the bioactive molecule heparin, and in cell culture medium this enhanced the growth of human mesenchymal stem cells. Such microgels may therefore have future applications in tissue repair. This approach to fabricating LMWG microgels is a platform technology, which could potentially be applied to a variety of different functional LMWGs, and hence has wide-ranging potential.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Chemistry (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Biology (York) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number EPSRC EP/P03361X/1 |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 22 Mar 2021 17:30 |
Last Modified: | 20 Dec 2024 00:19 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SC06296K |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1039/D0SC06296K |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:172457 |