Hydrogels for encapsulation of mammalian cells

In our attempt to prepare new hydrogels for cell encapsulation, we decided to use synthetic copolymers presuming that chemical bonds should bring better mechanical stability of capsules than electrostatic forces between polyanions and polycations in the so far predominantly used materials based on polyelectrolyte complexes. Two series of copolymers of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with alkyl acrylates (methacrylates) or N‐alkylacrylamides (methacrylamides) were prepared. The copolymers, prepared by solution copolymerization in ethanol, were characterized by swelling in water and PBS solution, viscometric molecular weight, and NMR analysis, and their encapsulation processability was tested. Their characteristics and the first biological tests are the subject of this paper.