Hi Christian:

It has been described that some cell lines/cell types release proteases that can break poly-L-lysine, in those cases is more convenient use poly-D-lysine. If it's not the case, it doesn't matter which of them you use.

Regarding the charge-related properties of these molecules both are the same, as they provide a positive charge to the surface, thus improving cell attachment to the otherwise negatively charged plastic/glass surface

http://www.coleparmer.com/TechLibraryArticle/571

Book: Banker, G. and Goslin, K., Culturing Nerve Cells, MIT Press, Cambridge, p. 65 (1991)

Hope it helps,

cheers

Hi Christian:

It has been described that some cell lines/cell types release proteases that can break poly-L-lysine, in those cases is more convenient use poly-D-lysine. If it's not the case, it doesn't matter which of them you use.

Regarding the charge-related properties of these molecules both are the same, as they provide a positive charge to the surface, thus improving cell attachment to the otherwise negatively charged plastic/glass surface

http://www.coleparmer.com/TechLibraryArticle/571

Book: Banker, G. and Goslin, K., Culturing Nerve Cells, MIT Press, Cambridge, p. 65 (1991)

Hope it helps,

cheers

I always used Poly-L-lysin without any problems. But use polylysin with high molecular weight. The shorter the molecule the more toxic it is for the cells.

Normally I use PDL for my cell culture experiments for the reasons as you comment. In my experience you could use either PLL or PDL for coating as u like. It happened only ones to me that I got a cell line from another lab which were growing on PLL coated background and did not tolerated the switch to PDL (because of chirality ?).

Normally in my experiments I use commercially available PDL coated culture plates. Both PDL and PLL alter surface charges to enhance cell adhesion and spreading. They have not biological activity, and in my opinion there is no difference between them.

Hello all

I use MEF cells and I have to keep them going for 10-14 days (differentiation)

cells come off the plate easily. Which coating will be good poly L or polyD

To help facilitate attachment, cell spreading, growth, morphology, differentiation PDL or PLL are used. In histochemical applications both polymers of D- and L-lysine are used to coat slides to promote attachment of cells. Poly-L-lysine has also been reported to improve protein coating of ELISA plates. Poly-Lysine enhances electrostatic interaction between negatively-charged ions of the cell membrane and positively-charged surface ions of attachment factors on the culture surface. When adsorbed to the culture surface, it increases the number of positively-charged sites available for cell binding.

Dear Dr. Udo Schmidt-Edelkraut :

Which is the cell line that showed good growth in PLL but not in PDL?

Sorry long time ago, but it was a A2B2 expressing glial progenitor cell line from japan (?).

Successfull growing on pdl instead of pll.

I mean pll growth but not pdl.