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A Microgel Construction Kit for Bioorthogonal Encapsulation and pH‐Controlled Release of Living Cells
Author(s) -
Steinhilber Dirk,
Rossow Torsten,
Wedepohl Stefanie,
Paulus Florian,
Seiffert Sebastian,
Haag Rainer
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201308005
Subject(s) - bioorthogonal chemistry , chemistry , ethylene glycol , cell encapsulation , self healing hydrogels , azide , microfluidics , kinetics , cycloaddition , chemical engineering , biophysics , on demand , nanotechnology , polymer chemistry , click chemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , catalysis , physics , multimedia , quantum mechanics , computer science , engineering , biology
pH‐Cleavable cell‐laden microgels with excellent long‐term viabilities were fabricated by combining bioorthogonal strain‐promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) and droplet‐based microfluidics. Poly(ethylene glycol)dicyclooctyne and dendritic poly(glycerol azide) served as bioinert hydrogel precursors. Azide conjugation was performed using different substituted acid‐labile benzacetal linkers that allowed precise control of the microgel degradation kinetics in the interesting pH range between 4.5 and 7.4. By this means, a pH‐controlled release of the encapsulated cells was achieved upon demand with no effect on cell viability and spreading. As a result, the microgel particles can be used for temporary cell encapsulation, allowing the cells to be studied and manipulated during the encapsulation and then be isolated and harvested by decomposition of the microgel scaffolds.