The possibility of on-demand harvesting of cells using human saliva was investigated for amylopectin-based hydrogel substrate obtained through enzymatic reaction. The human epithelial cells grown on the surface of the hydrogels detached within 10 min with preserving cell-to-cell connection by soaking in the medium containing human saliva at 5% (v/v). (C) 2012, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.