Cryo scanning probe nanotomography study of the structure of alginate microcarriers

Abstract

Tissue-specific alginate microspheres surface modified with microparticles of decellularized liver tissue were prepared. The nanostructures of these microspheres were analysed by cryo scanning probe nanotomography. Modification of the surfaces of the alginate microspheres with microparticles of decellularized liver tissue increased surface roughness, the specific effective area, and the average autocorrelation length. Up to seven times more human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells were adhered to the modified alginate microspheres than to the unmodified microspheres. The developed alginate microspheres can be used in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering as a biodegradable cell microcarriers.