Microsupport with two-dimensional geometry (2D-MS) 4. Temperature-induced detachment of anchorage-dependent CHO-K1 cells from cryoresponsive MicroHex((R)) (CryoHex).

Tissue culture flasks were activated by electron beam irradiation and subsequently treated with N-isopropylacrylamide to make them cryoresponsive. Leaving such 'cryoflasks' unattended for 10 minutes at room temperature sufficed to almost completely detach the anchorage-dependent cells. MicroHex((R)), a polystyrene-based tissue culture microsupport with two-dimensional geometry, was handled in the same way to obtain CryoHex, i.e. a cryoresponsive MicroHex from which anchorage-dependent cells could be detached by exposure to low temperature (4-20 degrees C). Experimental conditions were determined allowing one to detach the cells from small and large microsupport culture volumes. Cells detached from CryoHex by exposure to low temperature displayed a high cell viability and, upon subcultivation on MicroHex((R)), did not show any alteration of their growth kinetics.