Abstract: The present invention discloses a three-dimensional porous growth surface made from polysaccharide material, especially the alginic acid, to enhance cell growth surface, promote cell adherence, immobilization and propagation, maintain surface structure integrity, enable programmable degradation, and thus increase cellular production. The present invention teaches several methods: a method to enhance the integrity of the growth surface by protecting the growth surface in a rigid solid support; a method of use for enhancing the performance of the surface; and a method of modifying a growth surface for eukaryotic and/or prokaryotic cells comprising the steps of increasing surface area by creating porous and 3-D structure, treating a surface to encourage cell attachment, promoting cell growth and proliferation, and disposing the growth surface in any conventional cell cultivating device. The growth surface is able to program degradation and release the cell/tissue mass after the culture is completed.