Figure 7.

Encapsulation and controlled release of growth factors for tissue engineering. (A) Schematic illustration of a coaxial electrospray setup for the preparation of PCM microparticles containing NGFs and NIR dyes in the core. (B) SEM image of the as-obtained PCM microparticles. (C) Schematic illustration showing the outgrowth of neurites from spheroids of PC12 cells in a sandwich-like scaffold when NGFs were released from the PCM microparticles under the irradiation with an 808-nm laser. (D) Fluorescence image of the typical neurite fields extending from the spheroids after NIR-triggered release of NGFs from PCM particles. The neurites were stained with Tuj1 marker (green). The arrows indicate the alignment directions of the fibers. Reproduced with permission.^[44] Copyright 2018, Wiley-VCH.