Development of photo-responsive polymers for manipulation of cell culture

Abstract

To meet the increasing needs to automate the cell culture handling such as separation, purification and collection, we have examined a scheme to use photo-responsive polymer materials as culture substrates. We developed a polymer, which becomes water-dissoluble in sharp response to light irradiation and demonstrated photo-selective cell detachment and collection from the polymer-coated substrate. Also selective cell killing and cutting of cell monolayer was implemented by using the polymer material, which generates acid/heat upon light irradiation. Some of these technologies were applied to the purification of undifferentiated cells and the sectioning of cell monolayer in the maintenance culture of human iPS cells.