We developed an alginate-based hydrogel fiber enabling to enclose endothelial cells, degradable on-demand by alginate lyase, and having a cell adhesive surface. The hydrogel fiber was obtained by extruding an aqueous solution of 4% (w/v) alginate derivative possessing phenolic hydroxyl moieties (Alg-Ph) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into a flow of aqueous solution containing 0.3 mM H2O2 and gelatin derivative possessing Ph moieties (Gelatin-Ph). In the process, cross-linking of Alg-Ph resulting in a hydrogel fiber and immobilization of Gelatin-Ph on the surface of the hydrogel fiber were simultaneously accomplished by an HRP-catalyzed cross-linking reaction between Ph moieties. The diameter of the hydrogel fiber and the quantity of immobilized Gelatin-Ph on the fiber were controllable by changing the flow rates of the solutions and the concentration of HRP in the Alg-Ph-containing solution, respectively. The viability of the human endothelial cells enclosed in the hydrogel fibers obtained by 10 s of flowing in the H2O2-containing solution was 87.1%. In addition, the cells harvested from the hydrogel fibers through degradation using alginate lyase grew on tissue culture dishes in the same fashion as the cells seeded by a conventional subculture protocol. Human smooth muscle cells adhered, grew and achieved confluence on the surface of the hydrogel fibers. By degrading the hydrogel fibers using alginate lyase, a tubular cell construct was successfully obtained. (C) 2012, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.