MULTIPLE LAYER ALGINATE COATINGS OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUE FOR TRANSPLANTATION

摘要

A method for multiple layer coating of biological tissue and cells for transplantation. The cell or tissue transplants are coated with multiple coatings of purified alginate. The method includes applying the first coat of sodium alginate gelled with divalent cations followed by optional treatment with strontium, barium or other divalent cation, resuspending the single coated droplets in sodium alginate and forming the halo layer around the first coating via exchange or diffusion of divalent cations from the single coating to the surrounding soluble alginate, removing the excess coating and gelling the remaining thin layer of soluble alginate with divalent cations. The coated transplants (2) have distinct structure where biological tissue (A) or cell (B) core is covered with the first alginate coat (C), which is surrounded by an intermediate halo layer (D), which is covered by the outer coating (E).