We have developed a novel cell culture material that regulates cell adhesion by changes in potassium ion concentration. The material is a polyethylene substrate grafted to a copolymer of the thermoresponsive polymer N-isopropylacrylamicle (NIPAM) and benzo-18-crown-6-acrylamide (BCAm), with a pendant crown ether as sensor. The crown ether recognizes potassium ion concentrations and NIPAM conformational changes lead to changes in the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity balance of the entire polymer at constant cell culture temperatures. Although cells were successfully cultured on the ion recognition material in normal culture medium at 37 degrees C, the cells could be detached from the material surface by adding potassium ions alone, without proteolytic enzymes, because the surface to which the cells were attached altered its surface characteristics to a more hydrophilic state. Therefore, cell layers with intact cell-to-cell junctions and high activities were successfully recovered. Furthermore, by changing the target sensors, this material will be able to control cell adhesion through various cellular signals. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.