新型温敏微载体用于无损收获贴附型细胞的研究

聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺(PNIPAAm)接枝的微载体由于表面同时含有疏水性的异丙基和亲水性的酰胺基而成为一种典型的温敏性微载体。但是微载体表面PNIPAAm接枝浓度会很大地影响贴附型细胞在微载体上的贴附能力和脱附能力,限制了它在相关领域的应用效果。该实验运用原子转移自由基聚合作用(atom transfer radical polymerization,ATRP)合成法将PNIPAAm接枝到表面氯甲基化的聚苯乙烯微球[chloromethylated poly(styrene),CMPS]表面,合成不同PNIPAAm接枝浓度的温敏微载体,研究其细胞贴附、脱附以及在转瓶悬浮培养中的细胞增殖能力。同时,运用电子扫描电镜(scanning electron microscope,SEM)、原子力显微镜(atomic force microscope,AFM)、X-射线光电子能谱(X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,XPS)对温敏微球表面形貌进行表征。实验结果表明,当PNIPAAm添加浓度是200 mmol/L时,温敏微球表现出60%的细胞脱附率及50%的细胞贴附率,并且在转瓶悬浮培养中具有持续稳定的增殖能力。另外,SEM与AFM表征结果显示,温敏微载体表面粗糙度有明显地增加;XPS结果表明,温敏微球表面N元素有显著增加。这些结果证明了微载体上温敏材料NIPAAm的成功接枝。以上实验结果表明,这种新型温敏微载体具有良好的细胞贴附和脱附能力,将会是大规模培养贴附型细胞的良好材料。     

高压酶解卵清蛋白的工艺优化及其在BHK-21细胞培养中的初步应用

采用高压技术水解卵清蛋白,以水解度为指标,对6种酶的水解效果进行比较,筛选出最佳水解用酶;在单因素实验的基础上,采用正交实验的方法对高压酶解卵清蛋白的工艺进行优化,并对酶解产物在BHK-21细胞培养中的应用进行了初步探讨。结果表明:6种酶中胰酶的水解效果最好,水解最佳工艺为:压力120 MPa、温度50℃、p H值7.0和酶/底物(E/S)=1∶2.5(质量比),水解度达到45.13%;用酶解产物培养BHK-21细胞,细胞生长形态良好,在培养168 h后,试验组细胞最大密度达到6.69×105cells/m L,是对照组的1.56倍,细胞数量增大了33.45倍,说明卵清蛋白酶解产物有明显的促细胞生长效果,为其在细胞培养中的应用提供了理论依据。     

北美鹅掌楸原生质体的分离与培养

以鹅掌楸属植物北美鹅掌楸的悬浮细胞和组培苗叶片为材料,对北美鹅掌楸原生质体分离、纯化与培养条件进行研究.结果表明:叶片和悬浮细胞用含有0.1％2-吗啉乙磺酸(MES)和0.6 mol/L甘露醇的Cell ProtoplastWash(60M-CPW)溶液25℃预处理lh效果最好;悬浮细胞最佳酶解液为60M-CPW+ 1％纤维素酶+1％半纤维素酶+0.2％果胶酶Y-23+0.1％ MES,每克材料25℃酶解6h有效原生质体产量可以达到3×106个;叶片最佳酶解液为60M-CPW+2％纤维素酶+1％半纤维素酶+0.2％果胶酶Y-23+0.1％ MES,每克材料25℃酶解10 h有效原生质体产量可以达到11×106个;悬浮细胞原生质体易于培养,在KM8p+1.0 mg/L 2,4-D+0.5 mg/L 6-BA培养基中培养25 d可形成肉眼可见的愈伤组织.     

应用微重力旋转生物反应器培养小鼠脂肪干细胞的初步实验研究

目的:观察微重力旋转培养系统(Rotary Cell Culture System,RCCS),对小鼠脂肪干细胞增殖的影响,以寻求一种更有效的促进干细胞扩增的方法.方法:从小鼠的脂肪组织中提取分离、培养脂肪干细胞(ADSCs),并对脂肪干细胞进行流式鉴定后,利用活细胞观察法、Dil免疫荧光标记法、扫描电镜法观察微重力旋转三维培养系统对脂肪干细胞增殖的影响;通过与平面二维培养作对比,血小板计数法记录细胞的增殖情况,并绘制生长曲线.结果:两组的细胞倍增时间具有统计学意义(P＜0.05),模拟微重力旋转三维培养系统较传统平面二维培养系统,脂肪干细胞增殖更明显,生长速度更快.结论:模拟微重力旋转三维培养系统更有利于脂肪干细胞的增殖生长,为后期利用脂肪干细胞修复受损涎腺提供一种更快捷有效的扩增方法.     

果胶甲酯酶抑制蛋白(PMEIs)的功能性研究进展

细胞壁是一种复杂的动态网络结构,在植物生长发育、胁迫应答和免疫抗性过程中起着重要的调控和防御作用。果胶(pectin)是细胞初生壁结构中多糖的主要成分之一;其中,同型半乳糖醛酸聚糖(HG)是果胶多糖组分中含量最丰富的线性聚合物。HG的甲基酯化程度变化会导致其酶解形成凝胶,从而影响果胶结构的稳定性。果胶甲酯酶抑制蛋白(PMEIs)通过翻译后机制调控果胶甲酯酶(PMEs)活性,微调果胶多糖甲酯化修饰平衡后,维持细胞壁的完整性和生物力学特性。研究发现,PMEI-PME互作调控果胶甲酯化修饰的稳态是决定细胞黏附、细胞壁硬度和弹性以及器官形态发生的关键因素,同时也是细胞壁应对逆境、释放抗性信号和免疫防御的分子模式。主要对PMEIs在调节植物器官发育过程和应对不同胁迫因子发挥的抗逆功能及调控机制等最新研究进展作出综述。鉴于PMEIs在木本植物中的体内生理活性和调控机制仍有待探索,可为后续填补该领域的研究空白提供理论依据和策略参考。     

酶解大豆蛋白的制备工艺研究及其在细胞培养中的应用研究

采用两种非动物源性蛋白酶水解大豆蛋白,以水解度为指标,对不同比例4种酶两两组合测试其水解度,选出水解最佳用酶;在单因素试验基础上,采用正交试验对酶解大豆蛋白的工艺条件进行优化,并将产物进行动物细胞的生长进行检测。结果表明:复合蛋白酶与碱性蛋白酶以等比例进行混合,其水解效果最佳;水解最佳工艺为:温度60℃、p H值7. 0和酶/底物(E/S)=1∶4(质量比),水解时间为4 h,其水解度为43. 7%。将酶解产物培养BHK-21细胞,并与Hypep1510进行对比,细胞生长状态良好,其细胞密度在120 h时最大,为3. 96×10~5cells/mL,与Hypep1510相比,最大细胞密度并无明显差异,其倍增时间为26. 2 h,高于阴性对照组与阳性对照组,且细胞形态基本未发生改变,表明酶解大豆蛋白所的产物能够缩短细胞倍增的时间,且具有一定的促细胞生长作用,为其在动物细胞大规模培养中的应用提供了理论依据。     

应用细胞工厂传代原代地鼠肾细胞培养狂犬病病毒

目的应用细胞工厂建立原代地鼠肾(primary hamster kidney, PHK)细胞传代培养工艺,培养狂犬病病毒,为PHK细胞和人用狂犬病疫苗(地鼠肾细胞)的规模化放大奠定基础。方法选用SPF级地鼠,无菌取肾,经消化分散接种到细胞工厂中,在37℃下培养筛选出PHK细胞静置培养的最适细胞接种密度;在最适细胞接种密度下,从0.20%水解乳蛋白MEM培养基和改良的DMEM/F12培养基中筛选出更适宜地鼠肾细胞静置培养的培养基;同时对消化液A(含0.02%EDTA的0.25%胰蛋白酶溶液)和消化液B(含0.30%柠檬酸钠的0.25%胰蛋白酶溶液)的消化效果进行比对,选择适宜的消化液;最后,使用最佳培养基和消化液对PHK细胞进行传代,观察细胞生长情况并分析代谢水平;对同一细胞批不同代次的单层细胞(P0代、P1代和P2代)接种狂犬病病毒aG株,进行多次收获,检测单次病毒收获液病毒滴度。结果 PHK细胞(P0代)在细胞工厂中适宜的接种密度为0.30×10~6～0.50×10~(6 )cells/cm~2;改良的DMEM/F12培养基和消化液B更适用于PHK细胞的培养和消化传代;在40层细胞工厂(CF40)中使用最佳培养基和消化液传代地鼠肾细胞至第4代(P4代),随着代次的增加,收获的细胞密度降低、葡萄糖消耗减少和乳酸生成下降;P0代、P1代和P2代细胞均有较佳的细胞状态和增殖能力;用P0代、P1代和P2代细胞培养狂犬病病毒,能有效收获4次,且单次病毒收获液病毒滴度结果符合要求,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论成功建立了PHK细胞传代培养工艺,为PHK细胞的规模化放大,冻干人用狂犬病疫苗(地鼠肾细胞)生产工艺的改进、变更以及产能的扩大提供了参考。     

外源基因对水稻部分酶解小细胞团的转化研究(简报)

采用PEG法成功地将GUS及NPT-Ⅱ基因(质粒pBI 121)转入部分酶解的水稻小细胞团,获得表达,从而表明绕过原生质体,以部分酶解小细胞团作为水稻外源基因转化的另一种受体系统是切实可行的。由于细胞团易于操作,成活率高,对于某些原生质体培养特别困难的植物种属或基因型不失为行之有效的途径。     

070幽门螺杆菌产物调节细胞因子反应

幽门螺杆菌(Hp)可导致胃炎、消化性溃疡、胃腺癌、粘膜相关淋巴组织淋巴瘤等多种疾病.Hp感染后胃粘膜中大量中性粒细胞和淋巴细胞浸润,并以Th1细胞免疫应答为主(Th1细胞极化),造成持续性组织损伤.为了确认以Th1细胞应答为主的胃粘膜免疫反应主要依赖于天然免疫应答,而非对Hp的抗原特异性识别.作者培养并收获Hp,裂解细菌,得到蛋白产物,并分离基因组DNA,另备重组失活尿素酶;从未感染Hp的志愿者抽取血液,分离外周血单个核细胞(PBMCs),体外培养并加入各种Hp产物或(和)丝裂原;同时培养Jurkat T细胞(CD4+);一些实验组中加入鼠抗人IFN-γ和羊抗人IL-12p40.用ELISA检测培养物上清液中各种细胞因子;用3H掺入法检测细胞增殖和DNA合成情况.     

自研培养基在人用鸡胚狂犬病疫苗中的应用

目的评估自主研发培养基QS作为首选培养基用于冻干人用狂犬病疫苗(鸡胚成纤维细胞)生产过程的可行性。方法分别制备基于自主研发培养基QS和其他3种商业化培养基(X1、X2、X3)的鸡胚成纤维细胞悬液,观察和比较细胞形态和生长特性;以Flury HEP株接种鸡胚成纤维细胞(MOI=0.003),分别通过直接免疫荧光法、蛋白质印迹法(Western blotting)和酶联免疫吸附测定(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA)比较不同培养基条件下收获液中病毒滴度和G蛋白含量。结果在细胞浓度1×10~6个/mL条件下,4种培养基培养的鸡胚成纤维细胞在形态上均无显著区别;但是自主研发培养基QS和X2的病毒收获液的G蛋白含量在第4天时分别为0.66 IU/mL和0.63 IU/mL,高于X1的0.5 IU/mL和X3的0.3 IU/mL。在第6天时分别为0.92 IU/mL和0.88 IU/mL,高于X1的0.64 IU/mL和X3的0.52 IU/mL,说明基于自主研发培养基QS和X2的病毒收获液在G蛋白含量方面具有明显优势。结论自主研发培养基QS可以用于冻干人用狂犬病疫苗(鸡胚成纤维细胞)的生产。     

Smart thermoresponsive coatings and surfaces for tissue engineering: switching cell-material boundaries

The smart thermoresponsive coatings and surfaces that have been explicitly designed for cell culture are mostly based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm). This polymer is characterized by a sudden precipitation on heating, switching from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic state. Mammalian cells cultured on such thermoresponsive substrates can be recovered as confluent cell sheets, while keeping the newly deposited extracellular matrix intact, simply by lowering the temperature and thereby avoiding the use of deleterious proteases. Thermoresponsive materials and surfaces are powerful tools for creating tissue-like constructs that imitate native tissue geometry and mimic its spatial cellular organization. Here we review and compare the most representative methods of producing thermoresponsive substrates for cell sheet engineering.     

Thermoresponsive protein adsorption of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-modified streptavidin on polydimethylsiloxane microchannel surfaces

The control of protein adsorption on microchannel surfaces is important for biosensors. In this study, we demonstrated protein adsorption method that is controlled through temperature change, i.e., thermoresponsive protein adsorption, on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel surfaces using a thermoresponsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm). To provide general protein adsorption control method, we adopted biotin-streptavidin chemistry and synthesized streptavidin covalently modified with PNIPAAm (PNIPAAm-StAv). Modification of streptavidin, a hydrophilic protein, with PNIPAAm induced successful thermoresponsive adsorption on a PDMS microchannel surfaces: PNIPAAm-StAv adsorbed at 37 degrees C and desorbed at 10 degrees C on the surfaces. We also demonstrated the thermoresponsive adsorption of biotinylated immunoglobulin G (IgG-b) using PNIPAAm-StAv. Conjugation of IgG-b with PNIPAAm-StAv induced successful thermoresponsive IgG-b adsorption on PDMS. Modification of PDMS surfaces with PNIPAAm reduced physical adsorption of the partially hydrophobic IgG-b on the surface and contributed to the high-contrast thermoresponsive adsorption of IgG-b: less than 1% of the IgG-b adsorbed at 37 degrees C was detected after the PNIPAAm-PDMS surface was washed at 10 degrees C. The controllable adsorption of this system is expected to be applied to the regeneration of biosensor chips and to on-chip protein manipulation.     

Regulation of cell adhesion using a signal-responsive membrane substrate

We have developed a novel cell culture material that regulates cell adhesion by changes in potassium ion concentration. The material is a polyethylene substrate grafted to a copolymer of the thermoresponsive polymer N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and benzo-18-crown- 6-acrylamide (BCAm), with a pendant crown ether as sensor. The crown ether recognizes potassium ion concentrations and NIPAM conformational changes lead to changes in the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity balance of the entire polymer at constant cell culture temperatures. Although cells were successfully cultured on the ion recognition material in normal culture medium at 37 degrees C, the cells could be detached from the material surface by adding potassium ions alone, without proteolytic enzymes, because the surface to which the cells were attached altered its surface characteristics to a more hydrophilic state. Therefore, cell layers with intact cell-to-cell junctions and high activities were successfully recovered. Furthermore, by changing the target sensors, this material will be able to control cell adhesion through various cellular signals.     

Retrieval of rat aortic smooth muscle cells as intact cell sheet for regenerative medicine: a cost effective approach using photo polymerization

Cell-based therapeutics are promising routes for the regeneration of damaged cells and organs. The recovery of cells cultured in vitro for such applications requires the use of proteolytic enzymes which deteriorate its property by disruption of cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. Intact cell sheets can be retrieved with the use of thermo responsive polymer grafted on to the culture plates. Our study presents the use of photo-polymerization as a simple and inexpensive way to create thermo-responsive culture surfaces for the detachment of intact cell sheet. Poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) was synthesized by photo-polymerization and characterized by NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and gel permeation chromatography. Thermo-responsive culture dishes were prepared by the coating method and characterized for its thermo-responsive efficacy using FTIR spectroscopy and water contact angle measurements. Atomic force microscopy depicted the thin coating achieved with this method is similar to the conventional grafting method. Suitability for cell culture and cell sheet retrieval was assessed by culturing rat aortic smooth muscle cells in the PNIPAAm coated tissue culture plates. The cells remained viable as evident from the live dead assay and the cell sheet was detached by low temperature treatment. The results demonstrate a versatile method for creating thermo responsive culture surfaces while eliminating the use of expensive radiation sources for the conventional grafting method.     

Terminally functionalized thermoresponsive polymer brushes for simultaneously promoting cell adhesion and cell sheet harvest

For preparing cell sheets effectively for cell sheet-based regenerative medicine, cell-adhesion strength to thermoresponsive cell culture surfaces need to be controlled precisely. To design new thermoresponsive surfaces via a terminal modification method, thermoresponsive polymer brush surfaces were fabricated through the surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (IPAAm) on glass substrates. The RAFT-mediated grafting method gave dithiobenzoate (DTB) groups to grafted PIPAAm termini, which can be converted to various functional groups. In this study, the terminal carboxylation of PIPAAm chains provided high cell adhesive property to thermoresponsive surfaces. Although cell adhesion is generally promoted by a decrease in the grafted PIPAAm amount, the decrease also decelerated thermally-induced cell detachment, whereas the influence of terminal modification was negligible on the cell detachment. Consequently, the terminally modified PIPAAm brush surfaces allowed smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to simultaneously adhere strongly and detach themselves rapidly. In this study, SMCs were unable to reach a confluent monolayer on as-prepared PIPAAm brush surfaces (grafted amount: 0.41 μg/cm(2)) without terminal carboxylation due to their insufficient cell-adhesion strength. On the other hand, though a decrease in the PIPAAm amount allowed SMCs to form a confluent cell monolayer on the PIPAAm brush surface, the SMCs were unable to be harvested as a monolithic cell sheet by low-temperature culture at 20 °C. Because of their unique property, only terminal-carboxylated PIPAAm brush surfaces achieved rapid harvesting of complete cell sheets by low-temperature culturing.     

Regulation of growth and adhesion of cultured cells by insulin conjugated with thermoresponsive polymers

We developed a new biomaterial for use in cell culture. The biomaterial enabled protein-free cell culture and the recovery of viable cells by lowering the temperature without the aid of supplements. Insulin was immobilized and a thermoresponsive polymer was grafted onto a substrate. We investigated the effect of insulin coupling on the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the thermoresponsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid), using polymers that were ungrafted, or coupled with insulin. The insulin conjugates were precipitated from an aqueous solution at high temperatures, but they were soluble at low temperatures. The LCST was not significantly affected by the insulin coupling. The thermoresponsive polymer was grafted to glow-discharged polystyrene film and covalently conjugated with insulin. The surface wettability of the conjugate film was high at low temperatures and low at high temperatures. The amounts of immobilized insulin required to stimulate cell growth were 1-10% of the amount of free insulin required to produce the same effect. The maximal mitogenic effect of immobilized insulin was greater than that of free insulin. About half of the viable cells was detached from the film only by lowering the temperature. The recovered cells proliferated normally on new culture dishes. (c) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 53: 339-344, 1997.     

Heparin-functionalized thermoresponsive surface

Temperature-dependent regulation of affinity binding between bioactive ligands and their cell membrane receptors is an attractive approach for the dynamic control of cellular adhesion, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and signal transduction. Covalent conjugation of bioactive ligands onto thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm)-grafted surfaces facilitates the modulation of one-on-one affinity binding between bioactive ligands and cellular receptors by changing temperature. For the dynamic control of the multivalent affinity binding between heparin and heparin-binding proteins, thermoresponsive cell culture surface modified with heparin, which interacts with heparin-binding proteins such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), has been proposed. Heparin-functionalized thermoresponsive cell culture surface induces (1) the multivalent affinity binding of bFGF in active form and (2) accelerating cell sheet formation in the state of shrunken PIPAAm chains at 37°C. By lowering temperature to 20°C, the affinity binding between bFGF and immobilized heparin is reduced with increasing the mobility of heparin and the swollen PIPAAm chains, leading to the detachment of cultured cells. Therefore, heparin-functionalized thermoresponsive cell culture surface was able to enhance cell proliferation and detach confluent cells as a contiguous cell sheet by changing temperature. A cell cultivation system using heparin-functionalized thermoresponsive cell culture surface is versatile for immobilizing other heparin-binding proteins such as vascular endothelial growth factor, fibronectin, antithrombin III, and hepatocyte growth factor, etc. for tuning the adhesion, growth, and differentiation of various cell species.     

In situ harvesting of adhered target cells using thermoresponsive substrate under a microscope: principle and instrumentation

A novel technique and instrumented device were developed to harvest target cells from multicellular mixture of different cell types under a microscope. The principle of the technique is that cells cultured on a thermoresponsive-substance-coated dish were detached by a region-specific cooling device and simultaneously harvested using a micropipette, both of which were assembled in an inverted microscope. Thermoresponsive coating consists of the mixture of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and PNIPAAm-grafted gelatin. The former non-cell-adhesive polymer dissolves below at 32.1 degrees C in water and precipitates over that temperature (called lower critical solution temperature, LCST), and the latter cell-adhesive polymer has LCST of 34.1 degrees C. The appropriate mixing ratio of these thermoresponsive polymers exhibited high cell adhesion at physiological temperature and complete cell detachment at room temperature. A device developed as to cool at only a tiny area of the bottom of the dish, beneath which a cell that was targeted under a microscope, was assembled in a microscope. It was demonstrated that single cell or two cells that adhered to each other was detached from the surface and harvested by a micropipette within approximately 30s.     

Thermo-responsive non-woven scaffolds for "smart" 3D cell culture

The thermo‐responsive polymer poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) has received widespread attention for its in vitro application in the non‐invasive, non‐destructive release of adherent cells on two dimensional surfaces. In this study, 3D non‐woven scaffolds fabricated from poly(propylene) (PP), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and nylon that had been grafted with PNIPAAm were tested for their ability to support the proliferation and subsequent thermal release of HC04 and HepG2 hepatocytes. Hepatocyte viability and proliferation were estimated using the Alamar Blue assay and Hoechst 33258 total DNA quantification. The assays revealed that the pure and grafted non‐woven scaffolds maintained the hepatocytes within the matrix and promoted 3D proliferation comparable to that of the commercially available Algimatrix? alginate scaffold. Albumin production and selected cytochrome P450 genes expression was found to be superior in cells growing on pure and grafted non‐woven PP scaffolds as compared to cells grown as a 2D monolayer. Two scaffolds, namely, PP‐g‐PNIPAAm‐A and PP‐g‐PNIPAAm‐B were identified as having far superior thermal release capabilities; releasing the majority of the cells from the matrices within 2 h. This is the first report for the development of 3D non‐woven, thermo‐responsive scaffolds able to release cells from the matrix without the use of any enzymatic assistance or scaffold degradation. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109:2147–2158. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A novel method to prepare multicellular spheroids from varied cell types

A simple method for preparing multicellular spheroids from varied cell types has been successfully developed by using a stepwise gradient surface in cell attachability or detachability. The surface was composed of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAm), a temperature responsive polymer, as a cell detaching component, and collagen as a cell attaching component. The surface functions as a culture substratum at 37 degrees C; then, when lowering the temperature of culture medium, the cells attached to it detach as a self-supporting sheet. This is because PNIPAAm dissolves into the culture medium below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST; about 30 degrees C), but it is insoluble above the LCST. The detached cell sheet forms a multicellular spheroid. The stepwise gradient surface which consisted of six different sectors was prepared by exposing a surface of the PNIPAAm-collagen mixture to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation six times using a photomask, sliding the hole position in the photomask, and changing the energy of UV irradiation. This was because crosslinking of collagen depended on the energy of UV irradiation, then, cell attachability to and detachability from the surface were tightly controlled by changing the energy.The stepwise gradient surface allowed us to easily determine optimal surface conditions to obtain good cell attachment and detachment as a self-supporting sheet from the surface to prepare multicellular spheroids. According to the evaluation of the attachability and detachability of 23 cell types, the optimal surface condition remarkably depended on each cell type. The detached cells under optimal surface conditions, including fibroblasts, osteoblastic cells, smooth muscle cells, and measangial cells, which were very difficult to form spherioids using conventional methods, were able to form multicellular spheroids. The results clearly demonstrate that the above-described method for preparing multicellular spheroids can be applied to varied cell types. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.