Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hydrogel-based encapsulation of biological, functional tissue: fundamentals, technologies and applications

  • Invited paper
  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Replacing dysfunctional endocrine cells or tissues (e.g. islets, parathyroid tissue) by functional, foreign material without using immunosuppressives could soon become reality. Immunological reactions are avoided by encapsulating cells/tissues in hydrogel (e.g. alginate) microcapsules, preventing interaction of the enclosed material with the host’s immune system while permitting the unhindered passage of nutrients, oxygen and secreted therapeutic factors. Detailed investigations of the physical, physico-chemical and immunological parameters of alginate-based microcapsules have led recently to the development of a novel class of cell-entrapping microcapsules that meet the demands of biocompatibility, long-term integrity and function. This together with the development of ‘good medical practice’ microfluidic chip technology and of advanced cryopreservation technology for generation and storage of immunoisolated transplants will bring cell-based therapy to clinics and the market.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. V.V. Bisceglie, Krebsforschung 40, 141 (1933)

  2. G.H. Algire, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 4, 1 (1943)

  3. F. Lim, A.M. Sun, Science 210, 908 (1980)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. W.M. Kühtreiber, R.P. Lanza, W.L. Chick, Cell Encapsulation Technology and Therapeutics (Birkhäuser, Boston, 1999)

    Google Scholar 

  5. R.P. Lanza, R. Langer, J. Vacanti, Principles of Tissue Engineering (Academic, San Diego, 2000)

    Google Scholar 

  6. U. Zimmermann, S. Mimietz, H. Zimmermann, M. Hillgärtner, H. Schneider, J. Ludwig, C. Hasse, A. Haase, M. Rothmund, G.R. Fuhr, J. Biotechnol. 29, 564 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  7. D. Hunkeler, A. Cherrington, A. Prokop, R. Rajotte, Immunoisolation and Clinical Trials (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, New York, 2001)

    Google Scholar 

  8. C. Hasse, G. Klöck, A. Schlosser, U. Zimmermann, M. Rothmund, Lancet 350, 1296 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. P. Soon-Shiong, R.E. Heintz, N. Merideth, Q.X. Yao, Z. Yao, T. Zheng, M. Murphy, M.K. Moloney, M. Schmehl, M. Harris, Lancet 343, 950 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. S. Schneider, P.J. Feilen, F. Brunnenmeier, T. Minnemann, H. Zimmermann, U. Zimmermann, M.M. Weber, Diabetes 54, 687 (2005)

  11. R.E. Lee, Phycology (Cambridge, Cambridge, 1989)

    Google Scholar 

  12. K.I. Draget, O. Gaserod, I. Aune, P.O. Andersen, B. Storbakken, B.T. Stokke, O. Smidsrod, Food Hydrocolloids 15, 485 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. G.T. Grant, E.R. Morris, D.A. Rees, P.J.C. Smith, D. Thom, Febs. Lett. 32, 195 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  14. D.A. Rees, E.J. Welsh, Angew. Chem. Int. Edit. 16, 214 (1977)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. I. Braccini, S. Pérez, Biomacromolecules 2, 1089 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. I. Donati, S. Holtan, Y.A. Morch, M. Borgogna, M. Dentini, G. Skjak-Braek, Biomacromolecules 6, 1031 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Y.A. Morch, I. Donati, B.L. Strand, G. Skjak-Braek, Biomacromolecules 7, 1471 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. H. Zimmermann, D. Zimmermann, R. Reuss, P.J. Feilen, B. Manz, A. Katsen, M. Weber, F.R. Ihmig, F. Ehrhart, P. Gessner, M. Behringer, A. Steinbach, L.H. Wegner, V.L. Sukhorukov, J.A. Vásquez, S. Schneider, M.M. Weber, F. Volke, R. Wolf, U. Zimmermann, J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med. 16, 491 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  19. J.M.A. Vega, J.A. Vásquez, A.H. Buschmann, Rev. Chil. Hist. Nat. 78, 33 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  20. U. Leinfelder, F. Brunnenmeier, H. Cramer, J. Schiller, K. Arnold, J.A. Vásquez, U. Zimmermann, Biomaterials 23, 4161 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. C. Toso, Z. Mathe, P. Morel, J. Oberholzer, D. Bosco, D. Sainz-Vidal, D. Hunkeler, L.H. Buhler, C. Wandrey, T. Berney, Cell. Transplant. 14, 159 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  22. W.M. Kulicke, C. Clasen, Viscosimetry of Polymers and Polyelectrolytes (Springer, Heidelberg, 2004)

    Google Scholar 

  23. U. Zimmermann, G. Klöck, K. Federlin, K. Hannig, M. Kowalski, R.G. Bretzel, A. Horcher, H. Entenmann, U. Sieber, T. Zekorn, Electrophoresis 13, 269 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. R. van Schilfgaarde, P. de Vos, J. Mol. Med. 77, 199 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  25. R. Storrs, R. Dorian, S.R. King, J. Lakey, H. Rilo, Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 944, 252 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Z. Mathe, P. Bucher, D. Bosco, A. Andres, C. Fux, C. Toso, J. Oberholzer, C. Wandrey, D. Sainz-Vidal, D. Espinosa, L. Buhler, P. Morel, T. Berney, Transplant. Proc. 36, 1199 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  27. S.K. Tam, J. Dusseault, S. Polizu, M. Menard, J.P. Halle, L. Yahia, Biomaterials 27, 1296 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. H. Zimmermann, F. Wählisch, C. Baier, M. Westhoff, R. Reuss, D. Zimmermann, M. Behringer, F. Ehrhart, A. Katsen-Globa, C. Giese, U. Marx, V.L. Sukhorukov, J.A. Vásquez, P. Jakob, S.G. Shirley, U. Zimmermann, Biomaterials 28, 1327 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. T.A. Davis, B. Volesky, A. Mucci, Water Res. 37, 4311 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. M. Lekka, D. Sainz-Serp, A.J. Kulik, C. Wandrey, Langmuir 20, 9968 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. M. Dornish, D. Kaplan, O. Skaugrud, Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 944, 388 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  32. S. Schneider, P.J. Feilen, H. Cramer, M. Hillgärtner, F. Brunnenmeier, H. Zimmermann, M.M. Weber, U. Zimmermann, J. Microencapsul. 20, 627 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  33. U. Zimmermann, F. Thürmer, A. Jork, M. Weber, S. Miemitz, M. Hillgärtner, F. Brunnenmeier, H. Zimmermann, I. Westphal, G. Fuhr, U. Nöth, A. Haase, A. Steinert, C. Hendrich, in: Immunoisolation and Clinical Trials, ed. by D. Hunkeler, A. Cherrington, A. Prokop, R. Rajotte (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, New York, 2001), pp. 199–215

  34. K. Geisen, H. Deutschländer, S. Gorbach, C. Klenke, U. Zimmermann, in: Frontiers in Diabetes Research: Lessons from Animal Diabetes, ed. by E. Shafrir (Smith-Gordon, London, 1990), pp. 142–148

  35. V.F. Duvivier-Kali, A. Omer, R.J. Parent, J.J. O’Neill, G.C. Weir, Diabetes 50, 1698 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  36. A. Omer, V.F. Duvivier-Kali, N. Trivedi, K. Wilmot, S. Bonner-Weir, G.C. Weir, Diabetes 52, 69 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  37. E. Benzoni, M.L. Torre, M. Faustini, S. Stacchezzini, F. Cremonesi, U. Conte, S. Villani, V. Russo, G. Ricevuti, D. Vigo, J. Immunopathol. Pharmacol. 18, 677 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  38. M.D. Darrabie, W.F. Kendall, E.C. Opara, J. Microencapsul. 23, 29 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  39. C. Dulieu, D. Poncelet, R.J. Neufeld, in: Cell Encapsulation Technology and Therapeutics, ed. by W.M. Kühtreiber, R.P. Lanza, W.L. Chick (Birkhäuser, Boston, 1998), pp. 3–17

  40. N.E. Simpson, S.C. Grant, L. Gustavsson, V. M Peltonen, S.J. Blackband, I. Constantinidis, Biomaterials 27, 2577 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. T.G. Wang, Artif. Organs. 22, 68 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  42. T.I. Klokk, J.E. Melvik, J. Microencapsul. 19, 415 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  43. B. Thu, O. Gaserod, D. Paus, A. Mikkelsen, G. Skjak-Braek, R. Toffanin, F. Vittur, R. Rizzo, Biopolymers 53, 60 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. H. Zimmermann, M. Hillgärtner, B. Manz, P. Feilen, F. Brunnenmeier, U. Leinfelder, M. Weber, H. Cramer, S. Schneider, C. Hendrich, F. Volke, U. Zimmermann, Biomaterials 24, 2083 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. B. Manz, M. Hillgärtner, H. Zimmermann, D. Zimmermann, F. Volke, U. Zimmermann, Eur. Biophys. J. 33, 50 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. R. Wolf, D. Zimmermann, M. Weber, P. Feilen, F. Ehrhart, M. Salinas Jungjohann, A. Katsen, M. Behringer, P. Gessner, L. Pliess, A. Steinbach, J. Spitz, J.A. Vásquez, S. Schneider, E. Bamberg, M.M. Weber, U. Zimmermann, H. Zimmermann, Biomaterials 26, 6386 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. F. Ehrhart, A. Katsen-Globa, R. Reuss, P.J. Feilen, S. Schelenz, V.L. Sukhorukov, U. Zimmermann, M.M. Weber, H. Zimmermann, Biomed. Technol. 50, 1571 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  48. P.M. Jones, C.J. Burns, S.J. Persaud, Drug Discov. Today: Therap. Strat. 1, 213 (2004)

  49. P. Gröhn, G. Klöck, J. Schmitt, U. Zimmermann, A. Horcher, R.G. Bretzel, B.J. Hering, D. Brandhorst, H. Brandhorst, T. Zekorn, Exp. Clin. Endocrinol. 102, 380 (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  50. K. Martin, T. Henkel, V. Baier, A. Grodrian, T. Schön, M. Roth, J.M. Köhler, J. Metze, Lab. Chip. 3, 202 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  51. J.R. Hilton, D.T. Williams, B. Beuker, D.R. Miller, K.G. Harding, Clin. Infect. Dis. 39, 100 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  52. I. Constantinidis, S.C. Grant, S. Celper, I. Gauffin-Holmberg, K. Agering, J.A. Oca-Cossio, J.D. Bui, J. Flint, C. Hamaty, N.E. Simpson, S.J. Blackband, Biomaterials 28, 2438 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. U. Nöth, P. Gröhn, A. Jork, U. Zimmermann, A. Haase, J. Lutz, Magn. Reson. Med. 42, 1039 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  54. M. Hillgärtner, H. Zimmermann, S. Mimietz, A. Jork, F. Thürmer, H. Schneider, U. Nöth, C. Hasse, A. Haase, G. Fuhr, M. Rothmund, U. Zimmermann, Mat.-Wiss. Werkstofftech. 30, 783 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  55. R.G. Bretzel, J. Schneider, J. Dobroschke, K. Schwemmle, E.F. Pfeiffer, K. Federlin, Horm. Metab. Res. 12, 274 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  56. P. Mazur, S. Leibo, E.H.Y. Chu, Exp. Cell. Res. 71, 345 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  57. M. Murakami, H. Satou, T. Rimura, T. Kobayashi, G. Nakagawara, H. Iwata, Transplant. 70, 1143 (2000)

  58. J.O.M. Karlsson, M. Toner, in: Principles of Tissue Engineering, ed. by R.P. Lanza, R. Langer, J. Vacanti (Academic, San Diego, 2000), pp. 293–307

  59. B. Korniski, A. Hubel, Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 858, 183 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  60. B. Korniski, T.B. Darr, A. Hubel, Cryobiology 38, 339 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  61. R.C. de Freitas, K.R. Diller, Cell Preserv. Technol. 2, 19 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  62. H. Zimmermann, A.D. Katsen, F.R. Ihmig, C.H. Durst, S.G. Shirley, G.R. Fuhr, IEE Proc. Nanobiotechnol. 151, 134 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  63. H. Zimmermann, A. Katsen-Globa, P.J. Feilen, F. Ehrhart, M.M. Weber, V.L. Sukhorukov, U. Zimmermann, Microstructures 2D-Cryobanking and Cryotolerance – Long-term Preservation of Cells with Therapeutic Relevance (Abstractbook Mikrosystemtechnik-Kongress, Freiburg, 2005)

  64. R. Reuss, J. Ludwig, R. Shirakashi, F. Ehrhart, H. Zimmermann, S. Schneider, M.M. Weber, U. Zimmermann, H. Schneider, V.L. Sukhorukov, J. Membr. Biol. 200, 67 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  65. M. Kiesel, R. Reuss, J. Endter, D. Zimmermann, H. Zimmermann, R. Shirakashi, E. Bamberg, U. Zimmermann, V.L. Sukhorukov, Biophys. J. 90, 4720 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  66. M.A. von Mach, J. Schlosser, M. Weiland, P.J. Feilen, M. Ringel, J.G. Hengstler, L.S. Weilemann, J. Beyer, P. Kann, M.M. Weber, S. Schneider, Excli. J. 2, 6 (2003)

  67. B.J. Fuller, Cryo Lett. 25, 375 (2004)

  68. B.C. Heng, H. Yu, S.C. Ng, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 85, 202 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  69. K. Inaba, D. Zhou, B. Yang, I. Vacek, A.M. Sun, Transplant. 61, 175 (1996)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Kryobiophysik & Kryotechnologie, Fraunhofer-Institut für Biomedizinische Technik, 66386, St. Ingbert, Germany

    H. Zimmermann, F. Ehrhart, A. Katsen-Globa & S.G. Shirley

  2. Abteilung für Biophysikalische Chemie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysik, 60439, Frankfurt, Germany

    D. Zimmermann

  3. Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, Biozentrum, Universität Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany

    K. Müller, M. Behringer, P. Gessner, G. Zimmermann & U. Zimmermann

  4. Schwerpunkt Endokrinologie und Stoffwechselerkrankungen, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universitätsklinik Mainz, 55131, Mainz, Germany

    P.J. Feilen & M.M. Weber

  5. Fachbereich Bioprozesstechnik, Institut für Bioprozess- und Analysenmesstechnik e.V., 37308, Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Germany

    J. Metze

Authors
  1. H. Zimmermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F. Ehrhart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. Zimmermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. Müller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. Katsen-Globa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. Behringer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. P.J. Feilen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. P. Gessner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. G. Zimmermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. S.G. Shirley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. M.M. Weber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. J. Metze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. U. Zimmermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. Zimmermann.

Additional information

PACS

82.35.Pq; 87.19.Xx

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zimmermann, H., Ehrhart, F., Zimmermann, D. et al. Hydrogel-based encapsulation of biological, functional tissue: fundamentals, technologies and applications. Appl. Phys. A 89, 909–922 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-007-4270-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-007-4270-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation