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US 2011/0217751 A1Published application
Alginate microbeads, method for forming the same and associated applications
AssigneeNational Cheng Kung University
InventorsGwo-Bin Lee, Song-Bin Huang, Min-Hsien Wu
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Abstract
This present invention relates to a method for forming alginate microbeads. The method includes using a needle connected to a vibrator to continuously spot tiny alginate microdroplets in an oil layer. Subsequently, the temporarily formed alginate microdroplets sink into a CaCl2 solution to become gelled microbeads. As a whole, the method has opened up a route to perform alginate-microbead formation in a simple, continuous, controllable, uniform, cell-friendly, and less-contaminated manner.
Claims11
A method for forming an alginate microbead, comprising:
- providing a treatment solution and a conveyer tube, wherein the treatment solution comprises an aqueous lower layer and an water-immiscible upper layer, and the conveyer tube has alginate therein and an outlet at one end thereof;
- moving the alginate in the conveyer tube towards the outlet of the conveyer tube and suspending an alginate microdroplet at the outlet;
- making the outlet at which the alginate microdroplet is suspended be inserted into or contact the water-immiscible upper layer of the treatment solution for a predetermined period of time, and then removing the outlet from the water-immiscible upper layer to retain the alginate microdroplet in the water-immiscible upper layer, wherein the alginate microdroplet instantly moves towards the aqueous lower layer;
- and
- sinking the alginate microdroplet in the aqueous lower layer to form a solidified alginate microbead.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.