Abstract
The importance of the matrix has been widely recognized in the maintenance and expression of cellspecific functions in culture. In the previous study, we reported that cellular attachment to culture dishes could be controlled by coating the dishes with a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC), which was prepared by mixing equimolar polyanion with polycation. In the present study, we employed four PECs, PVBMA-PAA, PVBMA-COA, PVBMA-CLA and PVBMA-CSA, each with a different hydrophilic-lipophilic balance. PVBMA-PAA is the most lipophilic of the four PECs. Their hydrophilic property increases in the order given. Culture dishes were coated with PECs and their effects on the growth and insulin secretory capacity of RINr cells was investigated. RINr cells were inoculated into PEC-coated or non-coated dishes and cultured for seven days. The cells grew as monolayers in non-coated dishes, while cell aggregates of various sizes were formed according to the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of the PECs. Large, freefloating aggregates were formed on PVBMA-PAA coated dishes, whereas cell sheets with small aggregates grew on PVBMA-CSA coated dishes. Growth of cells was retarded on PVBMA-PAA and PVBMA-COA coated dishes. The amounts of secreted and intracellular insulin in the PEC-coated groups increased significantly on a per cell basis in comparison with the non-coated control groups.
The application of PECs to culture dishes is of value in regulating the morphology and function of RINr cells in vitro.
