Thermo‐modulated Hela cell release from an elastic and biocompatible hydrogel

Cell growth and release from the hydrogel scaffolds are critical steps in cell culture and cell therapies. Herein a double network hydrogel with one thermosensitive P(AEtMA-Cl-DEAEA) network and the other polyacrylamide network is reported. The diad hydrogel is elastic and maintains its structural integrity under large deformation. BSA is adsorbed onto the hydrogel at body temperature and subsequently released from the hydrogel at lower temperature. Hela cells proliferate on the hydrogel scaffolds at 37°C. When the scaffold is incubated at low temperature (20°C), 32.6% ± 6.4% of its population are detached from the scaffolds. The detached cells remain active in cell culture. This hydrogel with excellent mechanical properties and unique biological function has promising biomedical applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1786-1791, 2019.