Link between alginate reaction front propagation and general reaction diffusion theory.

We provide a common theoretical framework reuniting specific models for the Ca(2+)-alginate system and general reaction diffusion theory along with experimental validation on a microfluidic chip. As a starting point, we use a set of nonlinear, partial differential equations that are traditionally solved numerically: the Mikkelsen-Elgsaeter model. Applying the traveling-wave hypothesis as a major simplification, we obtain an analytical solution.

Fluidic microstructuring of alginate hydrogels for the single cell niche.

Controlling alginate gel formation by diffusion of Ca(2+) ions through a filter barrier, a layer-by-layer deposition technique with resolution on the size scale of a single cell is presented. It offers the possibility of exposing cells under biocompatible conditions to microheterogeneous three-dimensional environments, mimicking the layered structure of extracellular matrix in tissues.