J Korean Surg Soc.  1999 Jan;56(1):20-26.

Rat-Hepatocyte Culture and Differentiation in Hormone-Supplemented Media

• Kim HC
• Kim JS
• Jung SE
• Lee KU

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Severe liver disease is very often life threatening and dramatically diminishes the quality of life. An effective artificial liver support system should be capable of sustaining patients with severe liver disease, preparing patients for liver transplantation, and improving the survival of and the quality of life for patients for whom transplantation is not a therapeutic options.
METHODS
As an elemental experiment for establishing a bioartificial liver system, rat hepatocytes were isolated in several hormone-supplemented culture media: 1) control group, 2) insulin supplemented media, 3) EGF supplemented media, 4) insulin EGF supplemented media. Using primarily the cultured and subcultured hepatocytes, we evaluated the hepatic cellular function in each media.
RESULTS
The cellular viability was maintained as long as 10 days (average, 8.4 days). The hepatocytes in the group 4 media showed good results in ammonia degradation, ureogenesis, and albumin synthesis compared with those in the other groups. In the subculture, the hepatocyte functions had significantly declined.
CONCLUSION
Insulin EGF supplemented culture media were superior to the others.

Keyword

Bioartificial liver system; Hepatocyte culture; Insulin; EGF

MeSH Terms

Ammonia
Animals
Culture Media
Epidermal Growth Factor
Hepatocytes
Humans
Insulin
Liver Diseases
Liver Transplantation
Liver, Artificial
Quality of Life
Rats
Ammonia
Culture Media
Epidermal Growth Factor
Insulin