PMID: 7536008Feb 1, 1995Paper

Long-term maintenance of liver-specific functions in three-dimensional culture of adult rat hepatocytes with a porous gelatin sponge support

Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry
K H LinT Saito

Abstract

The three-dimensional culture of adult rat hepatocytes with a porous gelatin sponge (gelfoam) support was investigated. Hepatocytes were immobilized on the surface as well as within the pores of the support. The morphology of the hepatocytes immobilized on the support was close to that observed in vivo. In some parts of the support the spheroids of hepatocytes could be observed. To examine the liver-specific functions of the hepatocytes in the culture, the levels of serum albumin and bile acids secreted into the medium were assessed. The secretion of albumin and bile acids was stable over the course of 12 days, longer than that in collagen-gel culture. To elucidate further the function of hepatocytes immobilized on gelfoam, the metabolic activities of the hepatocytes, as measured by the competency of removal of NH4+ and the synthesis of urea nitrogen, were determined. The rates of ammonium removal and urea nitrogen synthesis were comparable with those in conventional monolayer culture. Albumin secretion was enhanced by the treatment of gelfoam with either heparin or acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), the gelfoam having a high affinity for these substances. DNA synthesis was also enhanced by aFGF. These results demonstrate ...Continue Reading

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