Cell proliferation and cell sheet detachment from the positively and negatively charged nanocomposite hydrogels.

The charged nanocomposite hydrogels (NC gels) were synthesized by copolymerization of positively or negatively chargeable monomer with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) in the aqueous suspension of hectorite clay. The ionic NC gels preserved the thermo-responsibility with the phase-transition temperature below 37°C. The L929 cell proliferation was sensitive to charge polarity and charge density. As compared to the PNIPAm NC gel, the cationic NC gels with <5 mol % of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) showed improved cell proliferation, whereas the cells grew slowly on the gels with negatively charged 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPSNa). By lowering temperature, rapid cell sheet detachment was observed from the surface of ionic NC gels with 1 mol % of ionizable monomers. However, lager amount of AMPSNa or DMAEMA did not support rapid cell sheet detachment, probably owing to the adverse swelling effects and/or enhanced electrostatic attraction.