Light-induced cell detachment for cell sheet technology

The phenomenon of light-induced cell detachment is reported. Mouse calvaria-derived, pre-osteoblastic (MC3T3-E1) cells were cultured on a TiO2 nanodot-coated quartz substrate. After 20 min of UV365 illumination, over 90% of the cells would detach from the surface. Moreover, intact cell sheets could be obtained in the same way. It was found that the as-obtained cells showed good viability, and could be used for further culture processes and other applications. Also, biocompatibility and safety characterizations indicated that the use of TiO2 nanodots and UV365 illumination was safe for such cell detachment. It is suggested that adsorbed extracellular matrix proteins play key roles in developing cell sheets and ensuring biocompatibility. The present light-induced cell detachment method demonstrates a promising way for rapid cell/cell sheet harvesting.