Controllable microfluidic fabrication of monodisperse PCL microspheres for soft tissue augmentation

Controllable microfluidic fabrication of monodisperse PCL microspheres for soft tissue augmentation

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Xing-Long Zhou^a, Hao-Wen Zhu^a, Han Fu^a, Chang-Hai Zhou^a, Da-Wei Pan^a^,^b, Yu-Chao Deng^a, Wei Wang^a^,^b, Zhuang Liu^a^,^b, Rui Xie^a^,^b, Xiao-Jie Ju^a^,^b^,^*, Liang-Yin Chu^a^,^b

Particuology | 2026, 115 : 78 - 90

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Particuology | 2026, 115: 78-90

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Controllable microfluidic fabrication of monodisperse PCL microspheres for soft tissue augmentation

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Xing-Long Zhou^a, Hao-Wen Zhu^a, Han Fu^a, Chang-Hai Zhou^a, Da-Wei Pan^a^,^b, Yu-Chao Deng^a, Wei Wang^a^,^b, Zhuang Liu^a^,^b, Rui Xie^a^,^b, Xiao-Jie Ju^a^,^b^,^*, Liang-Yin Chu^a^,^b

Affiliations

^aSchool of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China

^bNational Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymer Materials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China

Published: 2026-08-10 doi: 10.1016/j.partic.2026.04.027

Outline

Abstract

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Polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres are emerging as versatile biomaterials for minimally invasive soft tissue augmentation due to their tunable biodegradability and favorable biocompatibility. Nevertheless, the extent to which monodispersity governs the functional performance of PCL microspheres, particularly in modulating host tissue responses and regenerative efficacy, remains poorly understood. Herein, we propose a method to controllably prepare monodisperse oil-in-water (O/W) droplet templates using coaxial flow-focusing microfluidics, and then obtaining monodisperse PCL microspheres with programmable sizes via solvent evaporation. The droplet dimensions are inversely regulated by the outer-to-inner phase flow rate ratio, while PCL concentration in the organic phase exerts minimal influence on initial droplet size but markedly reduces the volume shrinkage during solidification, yielding microspheres that better retain their geometries. Notably, the resultant PCL microspheres can maintain structural integrity and size uniformity over two-month period under physiologically mimetic conditions. Comprehensive biocompatibility assessments reveal that PCL microspheres exhibit negligible hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity, demonstrating excellent hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility. Notably, in a rabbit soft tissue implantation model, monodisperse PCL microspheres with an average diameter of 42 μm elicit attenuated foreign body reactions and potentiate endogenous collagen deposition relative to the polydisperse microsphere control group. These results provide useful guidance for the application of PCL microspheres in soft tissue augmentation.

Key words

Polycaprolactone / Microfluidics / Monodisperse microspheres / Collagen regeneration

Cite this Article

Xing-Long Zhou, Hao-Wen Zhu, Han Fu, Chang-Hai Zhou, Da-Wei Pan, Yu-Chao Deng, Wei Wang, Zhuang Liu, Rui Xie, Xiao-Jie Ju, Liang-Yin Chu. Controllable microfluidic fabrication of monodisperse PCL microspheres for soft tissue augmentation[J]. Particuology, 2026 , 115 : 78 -90 . DOI: 10.1016/j.partic.2026.04.027

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Funding

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National Natural Science Foundation of China(22494713; 22308229)

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Year 2026 volume 115 Issue 0

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Article Info

doi: 10.1016/j.partic.2026.04.027

Receive Date：2026-01-02
Online Date：2026-08-20
Published：2026-08-10

Article Data

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History

Received：2026-01-02
Revised：2026-03-25
Accepted：2026-04-27

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(22494713; 22308229)

Affiliations

^aSchool of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China

^bNational Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymer Materials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China

Corresponding:

^* School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China. E-mail address: juxiaojie@scu.edu.cn (X.-J. Ju).

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表12种不同金属材料的力学参数

科 Family	属数 Number of genus	种数 Number of species	占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%)	属 Genus	种数 Number of species	占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%)
鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae	2	11	5.26	鹅膏菌属 Amanita	10	4.78
小菇科 Mycenaceae	2	12	5.74	丝盖伞属 Inocybe	5	2.39
多孔菌科 Polyporaceae	8	14	6.70	蜡蘑属 Laccaria	5	2.39
红菇科 Russulaceae	3	23	11.00	小皮伞属 Marasmius	6	2.87
				小菇属 Mycena	11	5.26
				光柄菇属 Pluteus	5	2.39
				红菇属 Russula	17	8.13
				栓菌属 Trametes	5	2.39

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