@article {19749,
	title = {Bioactive Hydrogel Marbles},
	journal = {Scientific Reports},
	volume = {8},
	year = {2018},
	month = {2018-10-12 00:00:00},
	pages = {1-11},
	publisher = {Nature},
	abstract = {<p>Liquid marbles represented a signifcant advance in the manipulation of fuids as they used particle flms to confne liquid drops, creating a robust and durable soft solid. We exploit this technology to engineering a bioactive hydrogel marble (BHM). Specifcally, pristine bioactive glass nanoparticles were chemically tuned to produce biocompatible hydrophobic bioactive glass nanoparticles (H-BGNPs) that shielded a gelatin-based bead. The designed BHM shell promoted the growth of a bone-like apatite layer upon immersion in a physiological environment. The fabrication process allowed the efcient incorporation of drugs and cells into the engineered structure. The BHM provided a simultaneously controlled release of distinct encapsulated therapeutic model molecules. Moreover, the BHM sustained cell encapsulation in a 3D environment as demonstrated by an excellent in vitro stability and cytocompatibility. The engineered structures also showed potential to regulate a pre-osteoblastic cell line into osteogenic commitment. Overall, these hierarchical nanostructured and functional marbles revealed a high potential for future applications in bone tissue engineering.</p>},
	keywords = {Bioactive nanoparticles, hydrogel, Marbles},
	issn = {2045-2322},
	doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-33192-6},
	url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-33192-6},
	author = {Leite, A. J. and Oliveira, N. M. and Song, W. and Mano, J. F.}
}
