The present invention provides a photodegradable cross-linking agent capable of manufacturing a photodegradable gel, which has appropriate moisture content and water solubility as a cell carrier and has strength that makes it possible to construct a complicated three-dimensional microstructure. The photodegradable cross-linking agent of the present invention includes a main chain 2 which is composed of branched polyethylene glycol having three or more branched chains and a photodegradable benzyl group 3 which is disposed on the terminus of the branched chains, in which the benzyl group has an active ester group 4, which is reactive with an amino group or a hydroxyl group, and one or more nitro groups in a benzene ring.