MULTILOCATIONAL HEPATOCYTE TRANSPLANTATION FOR TREATMENT OF CONGENITAL ASCORBIC-ACID DEFICIENCY RATS

We attempted multilocational hepatocyte transplantation (HCTx) includi ng hepatocyte-bearing polyurethane foam (PUF) to treat congenitally as corbic acid (AsA) biosynthetic enzyme-deficient (ODS-(od)/od) rats. He patocytes isolated from the liver of congenic rats were transplanted i nto the portal vein (Pv), spleen (Sp), omentum (Om), and mesentery (Ms ). Hepatocyte-bearing PUF was transplanted into the Om and Ms. Experim ental groups were divided into four groups (group I; Pv + Sp, group II ; Pv + Sp + Om + Ms, group III; Pv + Sp + hepatocyte-bearing PUF, grou p TV; control). The average serum AsA level of the surviving rats in g roup II and III was significantly higher than that in group I 3 mo aft er HCTx. Histological examination showed small foci of surviving hepat ocytes in the Om and Ms tissues and in the connective tissue in the PU F. ODS-(od)/od rats survived for a long time by multilocational HCTx.