Preparation of thermo-responsible pluronic gels and temperature control of animal cell detachment

Pluronic, polyethylene oxide (PEO)-polypropylene oxide (PPO)-PEO triblock copolymer, has been widely studied as materials for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Pluronic F127 shows reversible soluble/insoluble changes in aqueous solution in response to a temperature alteration across its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) around 30°C. Here we report the regulation of cell attachment on the surface of Pluronic F127 membranes depending on temperature as well as platelet adhesion and protein adsorption on Pluronic gels. The number of cell density of L929 cells cultured on Pluronic gels containing fibronectin was the highest among that on Pluronic gels prepared from several methods, and L929 cells grow on Pluronic gels containing fibronectin until 48 hr cultivation. Detachment of L929 cells cultured on Pluronic gels containing several extracellular matrix was performed by cooling the Pluronic gels at 4°C after 12 hr of cell incubation at 37°C. L929 cells was perfectly found to detach from Pluronic gels prepared from any methods without trypsin treating but with solely temperature change to 4°C.