Evaluating Release Kinetics from Alginate Beads Coated with Polyelectrolyte Layers for Sustained Drug Delivery.

Current approaches in stem cell-based bone tissue engineering require a release of bioactive compounds over up to 2 weeks. This study presents a polyelectrolyte-layered system featuring sustained release of water-soluble drugs with decreased burst release. The bioactive compounds adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), suramin, and A740003 (a less water-soluble purinergic receptor ligand) were incorporated into alginate hydrogel beads subsequently layered with different polyelectrolytes (chitosan, poly(allyl amine), alginate, or lignosulfonate).