Comparison of Calcium and Barium Microcapsules as Scaffolds in the Development of Artificial Dermal Papillae

Figure 1

Ca and Ba DPC microcapsule structure. Microcapsule structures were accessed with light microcopy (a, b). The packaged DP cells and extracellular structures were further studied with H&E staining (c, d). Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to observed detail structures of microcapsule membrane and inside DP cells (red circles) (e, f). Ca (a) and Ba (b) microcapsules appeared round, smooth, and transparent under inverted microscopy. H&E staining showed extracellular matrix secreted around cells (red arrow) (c). Ba microcapsules showed scattered cells at all times, with no extracellular matrix (d). TEM confirmed that DPCs adhered to the Ca microcapsule membrane in 24 to 72 hours, and the cells retained their fine structure (e). The membrane of the Ba microcapsules was smooth, with solid and homogeneous core and cells inside showed many microvilli (red arrows) (f). (Bar = 100 μm (a, b, c, and d), Bar = 1 μm (e, f).)

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