Improving covalent cell encapsulation with temporarily reactive polyelectrolytes

Calcium alginate/poly-l-lysine beads were coated with either 50% hydrolyzed poly(methyl vinyl ether–alt–maleic anhydride) (PMM50), or with poly(vinyl dimethyl azlactone-co-methacrylic acid) (50:50, PMV50), to form covalently shell-crosslinked capsules, and compared with analogous capsules coated with sodium alginate. All capsule types were prepared with and without C2C12 murine myoblast cells, and implanted into mice for up to 6 weeks. Cell …