Noninvasive detachment of cells on cells

We developed a novel method to detach a monolayer of cultured cells with a supporting collagen gel layer from a calcium alginate gel on a porous membr ane in a culture dish by treatment with EDTA as a relatively noninvasive me thod without using protease. This method depends on the principle that hydr ogel composed of calcium alginate is reversibly formed and dissolved in the presence and absence of calcium ions, respectively. We laminated three lay ers of cultured IEC 6 cells and BALB/3T3 cells with spacer of collagen gel layers by this method. The laminated cells remained viable in a normal shap e after a 3-day culture. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .