Ön the fly" continuous generation of alginate fibers using a microfluidic
device.
Langmuir, 23 (17):
9104--9108 (August 2007)DOI: 10.1021/la700818q
Abstract
In this paper, we introduce a new continuous production technique
of calcium alginate fibers with a microfluidic platform similar to
a spider in nature. We have used a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)
microfluidic device embedded capillary glass pipet as the apparatus
for fiber generation. As a sample flow, we introduced a sodium alginate
solution, and, as a sheath flow, a CaCl2 solution was introduced.
The coaxial flows were generated at the intersection of both flows,
and the sodium alginate was solidified to calcium alginate by diffusion
of the Ca2+ ions during traveling through the outlet pipet. The diameter
changes in the sample and sheath flow variations were examined, and
the size of alginate fibers was well regulated by changing both flow
rates. In addition, we have measured the elasticity of dried fibers.
We evaluated the potential use of alginate fibers as a cell carrier
by loading human fibroblasts during the ön the fly" fabrication
process. From the LIVE/DEAD assay, cells survived well during the
fiber fabrication process. In addition, we evaluate the capability
of loading the therapeutic materials onto the alginate fibers by
immobilized bovine serum albumin-fluorescein isothiocyanate in the
fibers.