Tailoring the assembly of collagen fibers in alginate microspheres

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.

Automated summary

The use of microspheres in cell-laden biomaterials offers advantages such as high surface-to-volume ratio, but the assembly of collagen fibers in alginate matrix requires further investigation. Addition of small polar molecules and careful selection of gelling buffer can aid the assembly process in gelled alginate matrix.