Design of Artificial Red Blood Cells using Polymeric Hydrogel Microcapsules: Hydrogel Stability Improvement and Polymer Selection. Issue 10 (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Wujie; Bissen, Matthew J.; Savela, Emily S.; Clausen, Joshua N.; Fredricks, Samantha J.; Guo, Xiaoru; Paquin, Zachary R.; Dohn, Ryan P.; Pavelich, Ian J.; Polovchak, Alec L; Wedemeyer, Michael J.; Shilling, Brock E.; Dufner, Emily N.; O'Donnell, Anna C.; Rubio, Gerardo; Readnour, Logan R.; Brown, Tyler F.; Lee, Jung C.; Kaltchev, Matey G.; Chen, Junhong; Tritt, Charles S.
• Is Part Of: International journal of artificial organs. Volume 39:Issue 10(2016:Oct.)
• Page Start: 518
• Page End: 523
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: Artificial red blood cells -- Blood substitutes -- Hydrogel -- Microcapsules -- Oligochitosan -- Pectin; Artificial organs -- Periodicals; 617.956
• DOI: 10.5301/ijao.5000532
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0391-3988

Abstract

Purpose: To improve the stability of pectin-oligochitosan hydrogel microcapsules under physiological conditions. Methods: Two different approaches were examined: change of the cross-linker length and treatment of the hydrogel microcapsules with 150 Mm CaCl2 . Replacement of pectin with alginate was also studied. Results and Conclusions: It was observed that the molecular weight of the cross-linker oligochiotsan had no significant improvement on microcapsule stability. On the other hand, the treatment of pectin-oligochitosan microcapsules with Ca 2+ increased the microcapsule stability significantly. Different types of alginate were used; however, no red-blood-cell-shaped microcapsules could be produced, which is likely due to the charge-density difference between deprotonated pectin and alginate polymers.