Control of cell adhesion and detachment on Langmuir-Schaefer surface composed of dodecyl-terminated thermo-responsive polymers

This study used Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) method to produce thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm) modified surface. Dodecyl terminated-PIPAAm (PIPAAm-C12) was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer radical polymerization. PIPAAm-C12 was dropped on an air–water interface and formed Langmuir film by compressing. A surface pressure measurement revealed that PIPAAm-C12 was floated and Langmuir films were formed on the interface. And the Langmuir film was transferred on a hydrophobic substrate to produce PIPAAm-C12 transferred surface (PIPAAm-LS surface). In the results of atomic force microscope, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscope, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope measurement, the transference of Langmuir films was demonstrated and densities could be precisely controlled. Ellipsometric measurements of PIPAAm-LS surfaces showed that the thicknesses of the surfaces were less than 10 nm. Cell adhesion and detachment were observed on the ...