Efficient production of cell-encapsulated microgels using flicking technique

In this study, a simple flicking-base method was developed for the mass production of uniform alginate microgels . A comprehensive investigation was conducted to determine the relationship between the microencapsulation parameters and the size as well as the sphericity of the microgels. Fractional factorial design (FFD) was employed to determine the main factors affecting microgel size, identifying flow rate, alginate concentration, and motor speed as the most influential. Furthermore, the simultaneous effect of these critical factors on microgel size and sphericity was modeled using central composite design (CCD). The resulting quadratic empirical models offered insights into the jet break process in flicking-based microencapsulation and enabled the selection of factors and their levels to generate appropriately sized and shaped alginate microgels. Spherical microgels with a minimum size of 528 ± 20 μm were obtained at a flow rate of 5.8 ml/h, alginate concentration of 2 %, and motor speed of 17.1 Hz. Human mesenchymal stem cells were successfully encapsulated in the microgels with high cell viability exceeding 90 %. This study highlights the flicking method as a promising technique for efficiently producing uniform cell-encapsulated alginate microgels. The simplicity and cost-effectiveness of this method make it an available option for practical laboratory research , enabling the efficient preparation of microgels with adjustable size and shape. Furthermore, this microencapsulation approach has potential applications in tissue engineering , pharmaceutical disease models, cell-based transplantation, and regenerative medicine . • A simple extrusion method for mass production of microgels was developed. • The effect of operating parameters on microgel size and sphericity was evaluated via FFD and CCD. • Significant operating parameters were screened using FFD. • Quadratic models were obtained using CCD to predict the effect of dominant operating parameters. • Cellular studies revealed the reliability of the setup for cell microencapsulation.