ABSTRACT
Although the number of cell-based therapies continues to rise and holds promise for regenerative medicine, many of these approaches have been limited by a low engraftment rate and diminished survival of implanted cells. The strategy for encapsulating cells in biodegradable microgels offers numerous attractive features as a minimally invasive cell delivery platform for tissue repair. The focus of this chapter is to discuss recent progress of cell-encapsulating microgels and their potential application for tissue repair. Specifically, technologies for microencapsulation of cells and design variables for fabricating microgels, along with their effects on biological functions of encapsulated cells, are highlighted.
