Horseradish peroxidase-mediated encapsulation of mammalian cells in hydrogel particles by dropping

Abstract

We report a method for preparation of mammalian cell-enclosing hydrogel particles through horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalysed hydrogelation by dropping cell-suspending aqueous solution into an aqueous coagulation solution. An aqueous solution of 10% (w/v) gelatin derivative possessing phenolic hydroxyl (Ph) moieties (Gelatin-Ph), HepG2 cells and 10 U/mL HRP was dropped into an aqueous coagulation solution containing 1 mM H₂O₂. The resultant hydrogel formed through the HRP-catalysed reaction consuming H₂O₂ had a spherical shape. The sphericity decreased with decreasing concentrations of Gelatin-Ph, HRP and H₂O₂. The thickness of the hydrogel membrane layer of the hydrogel particles could be controlled by altering incubation time in the H₂O₂ solution. The cells encapsulated in the particles with a thinner hydrogel membrane grew faster. These results demonstrate that we successfully established the method of cell-encapsulation in hydrogel particles based on dropping aqueous polymer solution into aqueous coagulation solution through HRP-catalysed reaction.

• Enzymatic reaction
• HRP
• hydrogelation
• microcapsule