The radiation copolymerization of hydrophilic vinyl ether monomer, ethylene glycol vinyl ether (EGVE), and hydrophobic comonomer butyl vinyl ether (BVE) was realized in the presence of crosslinking agent diethylene glycol divinyl ether. The results of swelling experiments indicated that the hydrogel which has 60:40 comonomer ratio (mole percentage of EGVE:BVE in monomeric mixture) is temperature-sensitive at 4-37 degreesC temperature range. While the hydrogel shows fully hydrated form at low temperature (+4 degreesC), it extensively dehydrates at 37 degreesC. This thermosensitive gel was modified by immobilizing RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) sequence of cell adhesion factor, fibronectin, or cell-growth factor, insulin, to the copolymer for its possible use in mammalian cell cultures. The effectiveness of immobilization process was checked with SEM, FTIR spectroscopy and swelling studies. However, after biomodification the effect of the temperature change on the EWC value of hydrogel is less marked for both gels modified by RGD and insulin. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.