Tuneable Cell Substrates

A substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 17 wherein the coupling compound is a compound of formula 1;

• wherein
• L is selected from optionally substituted C2-10 alkylene, optionally substituted C2-10 alkenylene, —(O—CR2)n— and —(CR2—O)n— wherein n is an integer from 1 to 4;
• Q is selected from —C(═O)—, —C(R2)— and —C(R)═C(R)—;
• and
• X is selected from —O—, —S—, —C(R2)—, —C(R)═C(R)—, and —N(R)—.

A method of producing a cell culture substrate comprising

• producing a solution of acrylamide, bisacrylamide and coupling compound monomeric units,
• polymerising said monomers to form co-polymer hydrogel comprising acrylamide and coupling compound monomeric units;
• and
• covalently coupling a cell adhesion molecule to the coupling compound monomeric units to produce the cell culture substrate.