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Cross-linking the alginate chains using reversible ionic bonds opens up great possibilities for the encapsulation and subsequent release of cells or drugs. However, alginate also has a drawback in that its structure is not very stable in a culture medium with cellular activity. This work explored the stability of alginate microspheres functionalised by grafting specific biomolecules onto their surface to form microgels in which biomimetic microspheres surrounded the cells in the culture, reproducing the natural microenvironment. A study was made of the stability of the microgel in different typical culture media and the formation of polyelectrolyte multilayers containing polylysine and heparin. Multiple myeloma cell proliferation in the culture was tested in a bioreactor under gentle agitation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/polym14204282","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,12]],"date-time":"2022-10-12T22:45:29Z","timestamp":1665614729000},"page":"4282","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Stability of Biomimetically Functionalised Alginate Microspheres as 3D Support in Cell Cultures"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0811-2632","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mar\u00eda Inmaculada","family":"Garc\u00eda-Briega","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT) Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Val\u00e8ncia, 46022 Valencia, Spain"},{"name":"Biomedical Research Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 46022 Valencia, Spain"}]},{"given":"Joaqu\u00edn","family":"R\u00f3denas-Rochina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT) Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Val\u00e8ncia, 46022 Valencia, Spain"}]},{"given":"Luis Amaro","family":"Martins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT) Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Val\u00e8ncia, 46022 Valencia, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6791-7620","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Senentxu","family":"Lanceros-M\u00e9ndez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Physics, Universidade Do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal"},{"name":"BCMaterials, Basque Centre for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV\/EHU Science Park, 48940 Leioa, Spain"},{"name":"IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2428-0903","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gloria","family":"Gallego Ferrer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT) Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Val\u00e8ncia, 46022 Valencia, Spain"},{"name":"Biomedical Research Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 46022 Valencia, Spain"}]},{"given":"Amparo","family":"Sempere","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo de Investigaci\u00f3n en Hematolog\u00eda, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n Sanitaria La Fe (IISLAFE), 46026 Valencia, Spain"},{"name":"Centro de Investigaci\u00f3n Biom\u00e9dica en Red de C\u00e1ncer (CIBERONC), Instituto Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain"}]},{"given":"Jos\u00e9 Lu\u00eds","family":"G\u00f3mez Ribelles","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT) Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Val\u00e8ncia, 46022 Valencia, Spain"},{"name":"Biomedical Research Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 46022 Valencia, Spain"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115514","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2019.115514","article-title":"Alginate Hydrogels for Bone Tissue Engineering, from Injectables to Bioprinting: A Review","volume":"229","year":"2020","journal-title":"Carbohydr. 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