Encapsulation of Cells in Alginate Gels

Cell encapsulation represents one of the current leading methodologies aimed at the delivery of biological products to patients for the treatment of multiple diseases. Alginate is the most frequently employed material for the elaboration of the polymer matrix and outer biocompatible membrane because of its mild gelling and biocompatibility and biodegradability properties. However, its successful exploitation requires knowledge of microencapsulation technology and of the main properties of alginates, including their composition, purity, and viscosity. This chapter will focus on the immobilization of cells in alginate gels to create alginate-PLL-alginate microcapsules using an electrostatic droplet generator.