The purpose of this study was to develop the modulation methods for the attachment and detachment of specifically positioned adhesive animal cells cultured on an electrode surface with the application of a weak electrical potential. A patterned indium tin oxide (ITO) optically transparent working electrode was placed on the bottom of a chamber slide with a counter-(Pt) and reference (Ag/AgCl) electrode. The ITO patterning was formed by a reticulate ITO region and arrayed square glass regions of varying size. Using the 3-electrode culture system, the author succeeded in modulation of the attachment and detachment of animal cells on the working electrode surface. Animal cells suspended in serum or sera containing medium were drawn to and attached on a reticulate ITO electrode region to which a + 0.4-V vs. Ag/AgCl-positive potential was applied. Meanwhile, the cells were successfully placed on the square glass regions by -0.3-V vs. Ag/AgCl-negative potential application. Animal cells were detached not only from the ITO electrode but also from the square glass regions after the application of a +/- 1.0-V vs. Ag/AgCl, 3-MHz rectangular wave potential in PBS(-) for 30-60 min. Rectangular wave potential-induced cell detachment is almost completely noncytotoxic, and no statistical differences between trypsinization and the high frequency wave potential application were observed in HeLa cell growth. The electrical modulation of the specifically positioned cell attachment and detachment techniques holds potential for novel optical microscopic cell sorting analysis in lab-on-chip devices. (C) 2011, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.