Abstract: This invention provides thermally reversible graft copolymer comprising a vinyl polymer graft-polymerized to a polymer of N-substituted acrylamide or methacrylamide derivatives.

Abstract: An electrophoretic matrix comprised of at least one water-insolubilized, temperature-responsive polymeric compound having an LCST is disclosed. The electro-phoretic matrix can change its hydrophilic/hydrophobic property by changing temperature. A method of using the electrophoretic matrix involves charging a sample onto the matrix and carrying out electrophoresis at a temperature above or below the LCST of the polymeric compound.

Abstract: An electrophoretic matrix comprised of at least one water-insolubilized, temperature-responsive polymeric compound having an LCST is disclosed. The electrophoretic matrix can change its hydrophilic/hydrophobic property by changing temperature. A method of using the electrophoretic matrix involves charging a sample onto the matrix and carrying out electrophoresis at a temperature above or below the LCST of the polymeric compound.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the functioning properties of cells which includes a sample containing chamber, a rotor disposed in the chamber and having a conical surface which faces the inner bottom surface of the chamber at an angle of not greater than 2.degree., a ray transmission path from which a ray is projected into a sample of a cell suspension between the rotor and the inner bottom surface, and a transmitted ray detection path from which transmittance from the sample is detected. The optical path length in the sample is not smaller than 1 cm. An adequate shear stress is applied to the sample by adjusting the gap between the rotor and the inner bottom surface and rotating the rotor. A fine response by the cells caused by the applied shear stress, particularly the aggregation of platelets in a platelet suspension, can be accurately and quantitatively determined with a high sensitivity.