The adhesion and proliferation of mammalian fibroblasts (Row 7000) on the surface of hydrophilic [copolymer of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP), methyl methacrylate (MMA)], and hydrophobic [polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) stereocomplex] hydrogels with a wide range in water content, were studied morphologically and quantitatively.

It was demonstrated that cell proliferation by a static culture method on hydrogels decreased as the water content of the gels increased. However, it should be noted that the cell proliferation on PMMA hydrogels with a high water content is equivalent to that on glass petri dishes. The results obtained in the proliferation of cells on the surface of these hydrogels closely correspond to the state of cell adhesion.

When fresh medium or air was perfused from the side of the PMMA hydrogel membrane opposite to which the cells were proliferating (perfusion method), the cells continued to grow into a higher density than with the conventional static culture method. In the case of fresh medium perfusion, the degree of cell proliferation was dependent upon both the permeability of the membrane and the density of the membrane “scaffolding”.

Virus multiplication in the cultured cells increased in proportion to the cell density, while the cell function was similar in both culture methods.