A novel harvesting method for cultured cells using iron‐cross‐linked alginate films as culture substrates

Abstract

The present study was conducted to assess the efficiency of a novel cell-harvesting method involving dissolution of the culture substrate composed of Fe-alginate (ferric-ion-cross-linked alginate). Cell harvesting is an essential step for recovery of cultured adherent cells, but conventional methods such as trypsinization or scraping cause considerable damage to the cells. We therefore devised an original method for harvesting cultured cells using Fe-alginate films as a culture substrate and then retrieving the cells by disintegration of the alginate gel. Fe-alginate was easily dissolved under physiological conditions by exchange of cross-linked ions using chelating agents such as citrate. The effects of this cell-harvesting method were investigated in comparison with trypsinization and scraping. Cells harvested by dissolution of the Fe-alginate substrate showed high viability and metabolic activity, high recovery rate on subculture, a low degree of membrane damage with superior expression of cell adhesion molecules (beta1 integrin and N-cadherin), high resistance to oxidative stress, and high viability, metabolic activity and recovery rate after cryopreservation, in contrast with the cells harvested by trypsinization or scraping from tissue-culture polystyrene substrates. These results suggest that our new system involving dissolution of Fe-alginate culture substrate is effective for cell harvesting and may be advantageous for biomedical applications.

Novel non-cytotoxic alginate–lignin hybrid aerogels as scaffolds for tissue engineering

“…Alginate is a well-known biomaterial and is widely used for drug delivery [10] and in tissue engineering [11,12] due to its biocompatibility, low toxicity, relatively low cost and simple gelation mechanism [13]. It is a polysaccharide comprising of mannuronic (M) acid and guluronic (G) acid residues obtained either from brown algae or from bacterial sources [14].…”

“…As pointed out by Smetana [26], the ratio http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.supflu.2014. 12 between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the surface is an important factor of cell adhesion. Lignin is expected to reduce hydrophilicity of alginate and hence provide more suitable environment for cells to adhere, grow and differentiate.…”

Effect of iron on membrane fouling by alginate in the absence and presence of calcium

“…Fe-alginate gels are of emerging interest as a result of their existing and potential application in the field of drug delivery systems, particularly given their biocompatibility [18][19][20][21].…”

Photochemical Patterning of Ionically Cross-Linked Hydrogels

“…This difference in coordination chemistry of iron(III) and iron(II) cations has been previously utilized for speciation of iron(II) and iron(III) cations in solution, for preparation of molecular switches [53], and for mechanical actuation of hydrogels [54]. Iron(III) cations form stable alginate hydrogels [55] that have been successfully used as a support for growth of cell cultures [56,57]. While iron(II) cations are also capable of cross-linking of alginate [58] this process requires substantially higher concentration of ferrous cations while 20-30 mM solutions of iron(II) salts in 0.8%-1.2% w/v sodium alginate are viscous homogeneous liquids.…”