Selective cell capture and release using antibody-immobilized polymer-grafted surface

Cell separation is a powerful tool in life science research and clinical use. Various methods for cell separation have been developed. In this paper, we describe two cell separation methods using surface immobilizing antibodies via dissociation molecules. As one method, acrylic acid was grafted on the surface in order to inhibit non-specific cell adhesion and the antibody was immobilized via desthiobiotin-avidin interaction. Cells were selectively captured through antibody-antigen interaction and released by addition of biotin-modified polymer due to the exchange reaction of desthiobiotin and biotin. For the second method, the surface was modified by grafting poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-arylic acid) and the antibody was immobilized via double strand DNA. Cells were adhered on the surface at 37°C and detached by 4°C incubation with remaining cells that interacted with the surface via antibody-antigen interaction. The adhered cells were released by DNase treatment. These results suggest that cells can be selectively captured and collected by using the surface that immobilizes an antibody via dissociation molecules.