Journal
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH PART A
Volume 67A, Issue 4, Pages 1219-1227Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.10094
Keywords
alginate microcapsules; crosslinking; polyacrylic acid; atomic force microscopy; biocompatibility
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Grafting of encapsulated living cells has the potential to cure a wide variety of diseases. Large-scale application of the technique, however, is hampered by insufficient biocompatibility of the capsules. A major factor in the biocompatibility of capsules is inadequate covering of the inflammatory poly-L-lysine (PLL) on the capsules' surface. In the present study, we investigate whether tissue responses against alginate-PLL capsules can be reduced by crosslinking the surface of the capsules with heparin or polyacrylic acid. Our transplant study in rats shows a tissue response composed of fibroblasts and macrophages on alginate-PLL-alginate and alginate-PLL-heparin capsules that was completely absent on alginate-PLL-polyacrylic acid capsules. Atomic force microscopy analyses of the capsules demonstrates that the improved biocompatibility of alginate-PLL-capsules by polyacrylic acid coating should not only be explained by a more adequate binding of PLL but also by the induction of a smoother surface. This study shows for the first time that biologic responses against capsules can be successfully deleted by chemically crosslinking biocompatible molecules on the surface of alginate-PLL capsules. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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