Redefining Cell Therapy: Developing a Cost-Effective Microencapsulation Technique for Global Impact

Musculoskeletal injuries are a leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite recent medical advances, the repair and regeneration of musculoskeletal tissue continue to pose significant challenges and remain costly and relatively unachieved therapeutic goals in healthcare. Cell therapy has shown promising results in clinical studies for treating a wide range of diseases and injuries. Yet, this technique faces some problems that reduce its effectiveness, such as immunological clearance and cell survival. In order to mitigate these adversities, the encapsulation technique using biocompatible materials, such as alginate hydrogel was incorporated into cell therapy, providing a mechanical protection and a physiologically more stable environment for the encapsulated cells. Additionally, microfluidics systems offer, through its variables, precise control over capsule shape and size, making it a promising approach for cell encapsulation. Here, we present an innovative and cost-effective system called Air-Jet, which proves to be a suitable approach for encapsulating muscle cells and improving cell delivery.