Stimulus-responsive surfaces for controlled cell adhesion during mammalian cell culture

Cell culture is a critical laboratory task involved in all research that involves cells. However, trypsinization, the primary method used to passage cells, requires lots of time from researchers, creates liquid and solid waste, and can cause damage to sensitive cell types. The ability to culture cells without the need to use trypsin or similar chemicals to detach adherent cells from cell culture dishes could save time for researchers, streamline the process of cell culture, and improve the outcomes of cell line development. We have designed a fast, simple platform for on-demand cell detachment that uses transparent, biocompatible composite surfaces to trigger cell detachment in response to simple external stimuli without the need for trypsinization. We first demonstrate a simple, reproducible method for producing micromolded and infused polystyrene surfaces which cells can adhere to, and measure cell growth and proliferation of a range of cell types on these composite microtextured surfaces. We then show the ability of these active surfaces to detach live cells by applying a voltage, and measure detachment efficiency and cell removal forces, all within the complex environment of cell culture conditions.