Microbead Fabrication
Microbead Fabrication - Related Videos
03:08
Fabrication of Amyloid-Beta-Releasing Polymer Microbeads for Modeling Alzheimer's Disease
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2025
This video demonstrates a method for fabricating polymer microbeads that encapsulate neurotoxic amyloid-beta-secreting cells. The cell-polymer suspension is processed through a microbead fabrication device, with polymer gelation achieved via calcium cross-linking, forming spherical microbeads around the cells. The polymer allows cell proliferation while allowing controlled, long-term amyloid-beta release, simulating its accumulation in Alzheimer's disease.
05:54
Microbead Implantation in the Zebrafish Embryo
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Cited by 8 •
2015
The zebrafish is an excellent model system for genetic and developmental studies. Bead implantation is a valuable tissue manipulation technique that can be used to interrogate developmental mechanisms by introducing alterations in local cellular environments. This protocol describes how to perform microbead implantation in the zebrafish embryo.
06:52
Fabrication of Amyloid-β-Secreting Alginate Microbeads for Use in Modelling Alzheimer's Disease
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Cited by 2 •
2019
This protocol illustrates a cell encapsulation method by rapid physical gelation of alginate to immobilize cells. Obtained microbeads allow controlled and sustained secretion of amyloid-β over time and can be used to study the effects of secreted amyloid-β in in vitro and in vivo models.
05:51
Intracerebroventricular and Intravascular Injection of Viral Particles and Fluorescent Microbeads into the Neonatal Brain
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Cited by 18 •
2016
Here, we describe a simple method of intracerebroventricular and intravascular injection of viral particles or fluorescent microbeads into the neonatal mouse brain. The localization pattern of the virus and nanoparticles could be detected by microscopic evaluation or by in situ hybridization.
08:14
Rapid Magnetic-microbead Method for Efficient Purification of Low-density Neutrophils
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Cited by 1 •
2025
Low-density neutrophils (LDN) increase significantly in several diseases. LDN are usually isolated through cell sorting. We present a practical method to obtain pure and viable LDN. After density-gradient centrifugation of peripheral blood, cells are incubated with magnetic microbeads, and then LDN are separated through magnetic columns.
FAQs
Microbead size and uniformity depend on how the starting material is dispersed and processed. Emulsification creates droplets, extrusion shapes material as it passes through an opening, and microfluidic flow regulates streams in small channels. Adjusting flow conditions and related processing parameters helps researchers produce particles with dimensions suitable for reproducible biological experiments.
Material composition affects porosity and mechanical properties, not only the bead's structural identity. Polymers, hydrogels, lipids, and other materials can be selected or adjusted to produce different internal structures and physical behavior. These changes allow microbeads to support distinct functions, such as immobilizing biological cargo or creating controlled cellular microenvironments.
Formed droplets or particles generally require solidification or crosslinking to stabilize their structure. These steps convert a temporary dispersed form into a bead with defined physical characteristics, including porosity and mechanical properties. Their control is therefore important when the final particles must retain biological materials or provide consistent conditions during culture, delivery, or sensing.
The approaches differ in how they generate the particle-forming structure. Emulsification disperses one material into another as droplets, extrusion produces particles by forcing material through an opening, and microfluidic fabrication controls material streams within small flow paths. Because each approach uses different formation conditions, researchers can adjust processing parameters to obtain desired bead size and uniformity.
A typical workflow begins by selecting the bead material and any cell, enzyme, drug, or biomolecule to be incorporated. The material is then formed into droplets or particles through emulsification, extrusion, or microfluidic flow. Finally, solidification or crosslinking stabilizes the structures, while processing conditions are adjusted to control size, uniformity, porosity, and mechanical behavior.
Researchers can use microbeads when they need to immobilize cells, enzymes, drugs, or other biomolecules within a controlled structure. The resulting platforms support applications such as cell culture, targeted delivery, separation, biosensing, and tissue engineering. Their tunable properties also help establish reproducible experimental conditions and model controlled cellular microenvironments.