In Vitro Study on Effects of Physico-Chemo-Mechanical Properties of Embolic Microspheres on Embolization Performances

Abstract

In this study, the effects of physico-chemical-mechanical properties of embolic microspheres on embolization performances are systematically investigated for the first time in a self-designed and 3D-printed transparent in vitro embolization chip. With droplet microfluidic devices, monodisperse poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), chitosan, calcium alginate (Ca-ALG), and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microspheres with uniform shapes and controllable diameters are successfully fabricated. The embolization performances of microspheres with different physico-chemical-mechanical properties, including the elastic properties, surface adhesion properties, and sizes, are evaluated by observing the embolization positions of microspheres in the microchannels inside the chip and measuring the embolization-induced decreases of trans-channel water fluxes of the chip. The results show that for the microspheres with large Young’s moduli and low surface adhesion properties, the microchannel diameters that can be embolized by microspheres are almost the same as the corresponding microsphere diameters; however, when the microspheres have very low Young’s moduli, they can deform in the microchannels and pass through microchannels with diameters much smaller than the microsphere diameters. Generally, embolic microspheres with good elastic property, low surface adhesion property, and suitable size can achieve desired embolization performances. This work provides a new platform for controllable fabrication and performance characterization of future materials for embolization, and the results provide valuable guidance for designing efficient embolic materials for the transcatheter arterial embolization therapy.

Programmable Photoswitchable Microcapsules Enable Precise and Tailored Drug Delivery from Microfluidics

“…To ensure that the developed photoswitchable microparticles have good biodegradability and biocompatibility, widely used degradable polymers and easily metabolizable substances are mainly used to construct the material system. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is widely recognized as a biocompatible and biodegradable artificial polymer, 24,25 which is chosen to be the main dry weight component of the photoswitchable microparticles. The drug loading of PLGA is generally 1%, while PLGA mixed with PEG-b-PSPA can reach almost 10%.…”

Rational Design of Droplet Microfluidic Reactors for Controllable Non-Newton Viscous Production of Functional Chitosan Microspheres

“…28 Highly monodispersed and uniform chitosan microspheres are always crucial to these successful applications, 29−31 especially for disease therapy. 32,33 In the past two decades, a series of novel and reliable microfluidic devices including coaxial microfluidic devices, 31,34,35 flow-focusing microdevices, 33 and capillary combined T-junction 29 microchannels were proposed to prepare monodispersed chitosan microspheres. Flow-focusing microfluidic chips 33 with different geometrical sizes were developed to prepare monodispersed chitosan with controllable morphology and uniform size for embolization.…”

“…Flow-focusing microfluidic chips 33 with different geometrical sizes were developed to prepare monodispersed chitosan with controllable morphology and uniform size for embolization. 33 Capillary-embedded T-junction microchannels 29 and glass tube-embedded coaxial microdevices 34 were proposed to produce monodispersed chitosan microspheres with smaller sizes (8−130 μm) and adjustable structures by integrating the chemical cross-linking reaction with solvent extraction. A coaxial microdevice 35 with a water-in-oil system was proposed to prepare functional chitosan microcapsules with regulatory structures and tunable sizes via the interfacial crosslinking reaction for drug release.…”

“…Highly monodispersed and uniform chitosan microspheres are always crucial to these successful applications, − especially for disease therapy. , In the past two decades, a series of novel and reliable microfluidic devices including coaxial microfluidic devices, ,, flow-focusing microdevices, and capillary combined T-junction microchannels were proposed to prepare monodispersed chitosan microspheres. Flow-focusing microfluidic chips with different geometrical sizes were developed to prepare monodispersed chitosan with controllable morphology and uniform size for embolization . Capillary-embedded T-junction microchannels and glass tube-embedded coaxial microdevices were proposed to produce monodispersed chitosan microspheres with smaller sizes (8–130 μm) and adjustable structures by integrating the chemical cross-linking reaction with solvent extraction.…”

“…Chitosan-based materials play a dominant role in various applications like biological detection, drug delivery, , adsorption, and disease therapy because of their outstanding properties like biocompatibility, biodegradability, nontoxicity, and economic effect . Highly monodispersed and uniform chitosan microspheres are always crucial to these successful applications, − especially for disease therapy. , In the past two decades, a series of novel and reliable microfluidic devices including coaxial microfluidic devices, ,, flow-focusing microdevices, and capillary combined T-junction microchannels were proposed to prepare monodispersed chitosan microspheres. Flow-focusing microfluidic chips with different geometrical sizes were developed to prepare monodispersed chitosan with controllable morphology and uniform size for embolization .…”