The control of cell adhesion and detachment on thin films of thermoresponsive poly[(N-isopropylacrylamide)-r-((3-(methacryloylamino)propyl)-dimethyl(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide)]

This paper describes the formation of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and poly[(N-isopropylacrylamide)-r-((3-(methacryloylamino)propyl)-dimethyl(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide)] (P(NIPAAm-r-MPDSAH)) films on a glass surface via surface-initiated, atom transfer radical polymerization as a cell-culture platform. The films of PNIPAAm with various thicknesses and of P(NIPAAm-r-MPDSAH) with various ratios of NIPAAm and MPDSAH are formed to investigate the behaviors of cell adhesion and detachment. In the case of the PNIPAAm-grafted glass surfaces, the optimal film thickness, achieving the effective control of both cell adhesion and detachment, is estimated to be 11-13 nm for NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells. The adhesion and detachment behaviors of NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells are further tuned by incorporating the hydrophilic and non-biofouling MPDSAH moiety into the PNIPAAm system. The cell adhesion and detachment are controlled best, when the ratio of NIPAAm and MPDSAH is 75:1 (NIPAAm:MPDSAH). (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.