IMMOBILIZATION OF RAT HEPATOCYTES ON MULTIPOROUS MICROCARRIERS WITH LARGER PORES AND THEIR METABOLIC-ACTIVITY

We have investigated the availability of multiporous microcarriers (MC s) for immobilizing isolated rat hepatocytes, but the pore size of MCs was too small (35 mu m) for hepatocyte immobilization. In this study, we immobilized isolated rat hepatocytes on MCs with larger pores, and evaluated their metabolic activity. Isolated hepatocytes were immobil ized on MCs precoated with collagen by the intermittent stirring metho d and by aspiration, and the cell-protein content per 100 mg MCs was d etermined for comparison of these methods. Metabolic activity was eval uated by analyzing NH3 metabolism, urea nitrogen synthesis and glucose synthesis. The aspiration method immobilized significantly more of he patocytes on MCs than the intermittent stirring method (p < 0.05). A s tationary culture of hepatocytes immobilized on MCs showed a similar N H3 metabolism to monolayer cultured hepatocytes, and hepatocytes immob ilized on MCs in a floating culture showed significantly higher NH3 me tabolism than those in a stationary culture (p < 0.01). However, monol ayer cultured hepatocytes showed higher glucose synthesis than hepatoc ytes immobilized on MCs in a stationary culture (p < 0.01). In conclus ion, hepatocytes immobilized on MCs proved to be useful as a bioreacto r in a hybrid artificial liver.