Patent ID: 7585499

Claim:
A method for the encapsulation of cellular material comprising the steps of: (a) providing cellular material comprising cells; (b) contacting the cellular material with a positively-charged initiator polymer having a polymeric backbone comprising: (i) at least 5 initiator groups pendent from the polymeric backbone, and (ii) a cationic portion comprising cationic groups pendent from the polymeric backbone, wherein the cationic groups provide a positive-charge to the positively-charged initiator polymer in conditions having a pH up to and including, pH 8, wherein the initiator polymer has a ratio of cationic groups:initiator groups of at least 1:1 and has a molecular weight of 250,000 Da or less, and wherein the cationic groups of the cationic portion interact with negatively charged surface molecules on the cellular material to localize the initiator polymer on the surface of the cellular material; (c) contacting the cellular material with a polymerizable material; and (d) activating the initiator groups of the positively-charged initiator polymer to cause polymerization of the polymerizable material and formation of a polymeric layer around the cellular material.