Polysaccharide/Lipid Nanoconjugates as Alternative Building Blocks for Highly Biocompatible Microcapsules

Saccharide/lipid nanoconjugates are attractive building blocks for the construction of micro- and nanosized structures because of the roles of glycolipids in human body, courtesy of their intrinsic and functional properties. Herein, nanoconjugates based on dextran and oleic acid (Dex-OA) were synthesized via facile amide-linkage chemistry. The resultant Dex-OA micelles could self-assemble into spherical water-filled microcapsules via a water-in-oil emulsification process. By cross-linking, the microcapsules could be transferred to aqueous media, forming a stable microcapsule dispersion. According to optical and fluorescence microscopy, the microcapsules displayed a spherical morphology, and their synthesis is dependent on the concentration of Dex-OA nanoconjugates. Furthermore, the microcapsules could easily encapsulate and retain fluorescently labeled dextran. This strategy offers a robust and efficient method for the construction of microcapsules from fully natural amphiphilic building blocks with the potential for application in diverse fields such as biomedicine, protocell research, and microreactors.