Evaluation of the use of Sr2+ in alginate immobilization of cells

In recent years the method of immobilization of living cells in Ca-alginate beads has gained a wide range of applications. In all cases high chemical stability of the immobilization material and mild conditions for the cells are prerequisites. However, in long-term experiments that may last for seve ral days Ca-alginate may dissolve due to an exchange of Ca2+ with Na+, form ing fluid Na-alginate. As well as Ca-alginate, the more chemically stable S r-alginate and Ba-alginate are materials that have been used for the immobi lization of living cells. In this study, the effects of Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2 on growth, viability and intracellular free calcium concentration in a hum an leukemic T cell line (Jurkat) were investigated. The findings in this st udy, and the fact that Sr-alginate has a considerably higher chemical stabi lity than Ca-alginate, led to the conclusion that Sr-alginate is a more sui table material for use in the entrapment of living cells in long-term studi es.