Novel 3D coaxial flow-focusing nozzle device for the production of monodispersed collagen microspheres.

We have developed a 3D coaxial flow-focusing nozzle device for the mass production of monodispersed collagen microspheres and chemically crosslinked them using EDC (1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). The size of the microspheres was varied between 200 μm and 600 μm by adjusting the ratio of the flow rates of the dispersed and continuous phases. MDA231-GFP cells were attached to the surface of these particles and their viability was investigated. Because they are comprised of a natural biomaterial, these collagen microspheres will have numerous applications, including bone regeneration scaffolds for tissue engineering and analyses of cancer cell interactions in a 3D environment.