Heteropolysaccharide-Based Coacervate Microdroplets as Enzyme Carriers for Detection of Cholesterol

We constructed heteropolysaccharide-based complex coacervate microdroplets using pectin and DEAE-dextran via electrostatic interactions. The coacervate microdroplets were stable from pH 3 to 12 and completely dissociated at a NaCl concentration of 160 mM. When cholesterol oxidase was distributed in the microdroplets, the enzyme activity of cholesterol oxidase did not decrease, and it was made more stable. Through spiked recovery experiments of cholesterol in serum and a comparison with the results of commercial assay kits, we successfully validated that the assay can be used for the detection of cholesterol in real samples.