Self-Assembled Materials Form Mini Stem Cell Lab

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A sac formed by the self-assembly of small and large molecules can be used to instantly encapsulate stem cells. (The culture medium gives the sac its pink color.)  2008 Science
A sac formed by the self-assembly of small and large molecules can be used to instantly encapsulate stem cells. (The culture medium gives the sac its pink color.) © 2008 Science

Imagine having one polymer and one small molecule that instantly assemble into a flexible but strong sac in which you can grow human stem cells, creating a sort of miniature laboratory. And that sac, if used for cell therapy, could cloak the stem cells from the human body’s immune system and biodegrade upon arriving at its destination, releasing the stem cells to do their work.


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