| dc.description.abstract | Rapid advancements in the field of medicine have led to an extended average human lifespan, resulting in a substantial increase in the proportion of elderly individuals within the population. As global society transitions into a super-aged demographic, humanity is poised to confront an array of medical challenges. Conventional surgical interventions and pharmaceutical therapies are no longer adequate to meet these demands; thus, regenerative medicine has emerged as a pivotal strategy for cell and tissue replacement of damaged constituents. Among the myriad domains of regenerative medicine, cell therapy stands out as one of the most expansive avenues, exhibiting considerable promise. The success of cell therapy depends critically on the preservation of cellular viability and functionality during storage and transport. Cryopreservation, currently the predominant method for cell preservation, entails freezing procedures that, unfortunately, engender intracellular ice crystal formation, thereby inducing structural detriment. Cryoprotective agents (CPAs) are employed to mitigate cellular damage caused by freezing; however, clinical application has revealed instances of severe post-treatment patient reactions, such as hypotension and arrhythmia, indicating residual issues independent of CPA usage. In light of these challenges, this study introduces the development of a highly biocompatible artificial niche termed ＂Traveling Pearl.＂ The Traveling Pearl is characterized by a shell/core architecture, where the outer layer employs alginate derived from brown algae, exhibiting rapid crosslinking with divalent cations to confer protective attributes during cellular transport. The inner layer comprises a viscous gelatin solution that serves as a buffering agent during cell preservation, thereby ensuring stability. Various temperature conditions were investigated in this study, including ambient temperature (AT, encompassing 15-30°C), 37°C, 4°C, and liquid nitrogen freezing (LN2), in addition to static and dynamic simulations, to mimic disparities during storage and transportation. Experimental findings revealed that within the AT group, cells exhibited sustained viability and adhesive capabilities following 3-day and 7-day preservation periods, thereby underscoring the stability of the preservation effects. In summary, this study presents the development of the Traveling Pearl as a strategic intervention aimed at addressing complications arising from cryopreservation techniques, while enhancing biocompatibility to bolster the success rate of cell therapy. The results of this study may provide a novel tool for augmenting the domain of regenerative medicine. | en_US |