Hg. Koebe et al., PORCINE HEPATOCYTES FOR BIOHYBRID ARTIFICIAL LIVER DEVICES - A COMPARISON OF HYPOTHERMIC STORAGE TECHNIQUES, Artificial organs, 20(11), 1996, pp. 1181-1190
Two hypothermic preservation techniques were investigated to assess th
eir possible role in on-demand cell supply for bioartificial liver sup
port devices. Porcine hepatocytes from slaughterhouse organs were isol
ated and either cold stored in a modified University of Wisconsin solu
tion for up to 72 h or directly cultured in a sandwich configuration,
frozen at Day 3 of culture, and stored for up to 30 days with subseque
nt long-term culture (14 days) in both groups. Cold storage for 72 h r
esulted in a decreased viability of cells (58.7 +/- 7.9%) with well pr
eserved ultrastructures in the remainder of cells. In subsequent cultu
re, albumin secretion was slightly increased, and cytochrome P450 IA1
dependent 7-ethoxycoumarine deethylation activity was reduced to about
40% of control values. After cryopreservation, hepatocyte cultures re
vealed no severe damage to ultrastructures of cells, and functional pa
rameters (albumin, 7-ethoxycoumarine deethylation) were comparable wit
h controls after an initial drop in activity directly after thawing. L
ength of storage time did not influence results. Both hypothermic pres
ervation protocols might eventually play an important role for bioarti
ficial liver processing and on-demand cell supply, dependent on the in
dividual reactor design.