| Popis: |
Cell immobilization is upgraded from a status of fundamental technique to an advanced approach for therapeutic applications. Thinking beyond the conventional surgical, radiation and chemotherapy for cancer management, the advent of immunotherapy via transplanting tumor antigens or engineered cancer cells has a promising role. Highlighting the significance of transplanting cellular vaccines and genetically engineered cells, creating a dynamic barrier through immobilization technique appreciates the physical isolation of cells from the systemic factors, continuous delivery of therapeutic molecules and formation of a local immune stimulatory environment. Transplantation of potential stem cells encapsulated in suitable matrices is also explored for cancer therapy. Irrespective of the therapeutic applications, cell immobilization approaches have prospects in generating reconstructive tumor models for cancer drug screening. In this chapter, the methods of cell immobilization, potential matrices for cell encapsulation, relevance in advanced cancer immunotherapy, and applications in reconstructive tumor models are discussed. |
