Sol-gel encapsulation of cells is not limited to silica: long-term viability of bacteria in alumina matrices

摘要

A colloidal route to aqueous alumina gels is described, allowing the long-term viability of encapsulated bacteria. Encapsulation of biological systems in sol-gel matrices is now recognized as a promising alternative to polymer-based approaches to design bio-sensors and bio-reactors. A wide variety of biomolecules, including proteins, enzymes, antibodies, nucleic acids and phospholipids, as well as whole cells have been successfully entrapped in sol-gel matrices while maintaining their biological functions.