Engineering biocompatible polylactic acid (PLA) microcarriers for enhanced 3D cell culture

IF 4.4 4区医学 Q3 ENGINEERING, BIOMEDICAL

Biomedical Microdevices Pub Date : 2026-02-21 DOI:10.1007/s10544-026-00793-2

Ana Paula Salcedo-Uribe, Ivan Samayoa-Cortes, Natalia Ramírez-Zermeño, Sabrina Marcela Navarro-Navarro, Nestor Fabian Díaz, Daniela Avila-Gonzalez, David Mendoza-Aguayo, Nestor Emmanuel Diaz-Martinez

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study analyses the performance of polylactic acid (PLA)-collagen microcarriers engineered under laboratory-scale conditions with scalable potential for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture applications. The microcarriers were evaluated for their ability to support cell adhesion, viability, proliferation and conglomerate formation using Caco-2 cells. Results show that PLA-collagen microcarriers significantly improve cell density, with notable proliferation by day 7. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed a rough, porous surface topology that fosters cellular aggregation and conglomerate formation, essential for replicating complex tissue architectures. Multigenerational monitoring using epifluorescence assays demonstrated high nuclear density and sustained cell viability, further supporting the microcarriers’ ability to maintain dense and viable cellular environments. Additionally, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed effective cell-microcarrier interactions, validating the bioactivity of the PLA-collagen matrix. These findings underscore the potential of PLA-collagen microcarriers as a versatile and scalable tool for 3D cell culture, with significant applications in bioengineering tumour models, organoid formation, and drug testing. The technology offers a promising approach for advancing preclinical research and regenerative medicine.

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工程生物相容性聚乳酸（PLA）微载体增强三维细胞培养。

本研究分析了在实验室规模条件下设计的聚乳酸(PLA)-胶原微载体的性能，该微载体具有三维（3D）细胞培养应用的可扩展潜力。利用Caco-2细胞对微载体的粘附能力、生存能力、增殖能力和聚合形成能力进行了评价。结果表明，pla -胶原微载体可显著提高细胞密度，第7天细胞增殖显著。扫描电子显微镜（SEM）显示了粗糙的多孔表面拓扑结构，促进细胞聚集和砾岩形成，这对于复制复杂的组织结构至关重要。使用荧光检测的多代监测显示出高核密度和持续的细胞活力，进一步支持微载体维持密集和有活力的细胞环境的能力。此外，能量色散x射线光谱（EDS）证实了有效的细胞-微载体相互作用，验证了pla -胶原基质的生物活性。这些发现强调了pla -胶原微载体作为一种多功能和可扩展的3D细胞培养工具的潜力，在生物工程肿瘤模型、类器官形成和药物测试中具有重要应用。这项技术为推进临床前研究和再生医学提供了一种很有前途的方法。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Biomedical Microdevices 工程技术-工程：生物医学

CiteScore

6.90

自引率

3.60%

发文量

审稿时长

6 months

期刊介绍： Biomedical Microdevices: BioMEMS and Biomedical Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary periodical devoted to all aspects of research in the medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (BioMEMS) and nanotechnology for medicine and biology. General subjects of interest include the design, characterization, testing, modeling and clinical validation of microfabricated systems, and their integration on-chip and in larger functional units. The specific interests of the Journal include systems for neural stimulation and recording, bioseparation technologies such as nanofilters and electrophoretic equipment, miniaturized analytic and DNA identification systems, biosensors, and micro/nanotechnologies for cell and tissue research, tissue engineering, cell transplantation, and the controlled release of drugs and biological molecules. Contributions reporting on fundamental and applied investigations of the material science, biochemistry, and physics of biomedical microdevices and nanotechnology are encouraged. A non-exhaustive list of fields of interest includes: nanoparticle synthesis, characterization, and validation of therapeutic or imaging efficacy in animal models; biocompatibility; biochemical modification of microfabricated devices, with reference to non-specific protein adsorption, and the active immobilization and patterning of proteins on micro/nanofabricated surfaces; the dynamics of fluids in micro-and-nano-fabricated channels; the electromechanical and structural response of micro/nanofabricated systems; the interactions of microdevices with cells and tissues, including biocompatibility and biodegradation studies; variations in the characteristics of the systems as a function of the micro/nanofabrication parameters.