Hydrogel-encapsulated cells and hydrogel-dispersed cells
OwnerBenjamin NOREN, John OAKEY +2inventors
InventorsBenjamin NOREN, John OAKEY, Zhongliang JIANG, Kun JIANG
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to compositions that include hydrogel-encapsulated/dispersed cells, compositions including hydrogel-encapsulated/dispersed cells, and to processes for forming such hydrogel-encapsulated/dispersed cells and compositions thereof. The compositions can be used for, e.g., therapeutic applications. In some examples, the hydrogel-encapsulated/dispersed cells are formed using photoreactive groups chemically attached to polyethylene glycol to form a material which, upon exposure to a desired wavelength or wavelength range of light, reacts to form a cross-linked hydrogel network.
Claims20
A composition, comprising:
- a microcapsule comprising a core and a polymeric shell enclosing the core, the core comprising a cell, and the polymeric shell comprising, in polymerized form, one or more photoreactive monomers and a linker.
A composition, comprising:
- a hydrogel comprising, in polymerized form, one or more photoreactive monomers and a thiol linker, wherein at least one of the one or more photoreactive monomers comprise a methylene functional group;
- and
- cells dispersed within the hydrogel.
A process for forming a composition, comprising:
- introducing cells with one or more components in a microfluidic device to form a reaction mixture, the one or more components comprising a photoreactive monomer, a photoinitiator, a dithiol linker, or combinations thereof;
- and
- polymerizing the reaction mixture by exposure to ultraviolet light, under polymerization conditions, to form a composition comprising the cells dispersed in or encapsulated within a hydrogel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.