Cell-culturing characteristics of newly developed PHEMA microcarriers: their use with BHK21 cells

Baby hamster kidney (BHK) fibroblasts, as model cells, have been proliferated on acrylic based microcarriers. Microcarriers were prepared by a novel suspension polymerization of acrylic monomers. Hydroxyethyl methacrylate was the basic monomer. Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate was used as the cross-linker. A hydrophobic comonomer, namely, methyl methacrylate, was included in order to adjust the hydrophilicity of the resultant matrix. An acrylic comonomer with positively charged tertiary amine groups, i.e., dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, was also added in order to optimize the surface charge of the carriers. The adhesion, spreading, and growth characteristics of BHK cells on these novel beads were studied either in stationary or in submerged culture conditions. The results demonstrate that the cell attachment and growth can be controlled by changing the degree of charge and the hydrophilicity of the poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) matrix.