Cell surface modification with polymers for biomedical studies

Surface modification of living cells with natural or synthetic polymers is a powerful and useful tool in biomedical science and engineering. Various functional groups and bioactive substances can be immobilized to the cell surface through covalent conjugation, hydrophobic interaction, or electrostatic interaction. In this review, we provide an overview of the methods and polymers employed in cell surface modification, including: (1) covalent conjugation utilizing amino groups of cell surface proteins, (2) hydrophobic interaction of amphiphilic polymers with a lipid bilayer membrane, and (3) electrostatic interactions between cationic polymers and a negatively charged cell surface. We also discuss their applications in studies on cell therapy, cell-cell interaction analysis, cell arrangement, and lineage determination of stem cells.