Preparing 3D alginate encapsulated MSC spheroids for enhanced anti-inflammatory effects in wound healing

Inflammatory responses by cytokines play the central role in wound healing and tissue remodeling. MSCs secrete a set of anti-inflammatory and proangiogenic factors involved in the wound healing process. When cultured as 3D spheroids, the expression of these factors will enhance the paracrine effects of MSCs in tissue regeneration. Our study presents, the optimum number of cells for preparing spheroids and the best concentration of alginate to maintain the cell viability and continuous release of cell secretome over time was determined. The expression levels of TSG6, VEGF, TGFB1 and TGFB3 were evaluated in 2D and 3D cultures. MSC spheroids in alginate microcapsules may be a promising cellular source for skin tissue engineering and wound regeneration.