Bioencapsulation of Oocytes and Granulosa Cells

A protocol for the encapsulation in sodium alginate of granulosa cells in primary culture and co-culture of oocyte-cumulus complexes is reported. Sodium alginate forms strong gels when jellified with barium ions, allowing the self-organization of cells into a 3D structure. This method of encapsulation is simple and cheap, allowing the culture of cells in a 3-dimensional fashion.