INFLUENCE OF WARM ISCHEMIA ON ISOLATION AND PRIMARY CULTURE OF HEPATOCYTES FROM RAT-LIVER FOR A HYBRID ARTIFICIAL LIVER

To assess the possibility of using hepatocytes from ischemic liver, as a bioreactor of a hybrid artificial liver, we investigated the influe nce of warm ischemia on the isolation and culture of hepatocytes in ra ts. Warm ischemia was induced by clamping the liver hilus and the anim als were divided into 3 groups according to the duration of ischemia: group A (no ischemia), group B (10 minutes) and group C (20 minutes). Hepatocytes were isolated by the collagenase perfusion method and cult ured for 5 days. The yield and viability of the isolated hepatocytes w ere lower in group C. Rate of attachment was decreased as the duration of ischemia increased. There was no significant difference observed i n functions in culture. Sufficient hepatocytes, as a bioreactor; can b e isolated and cultured from warm ischemic liver within 10 minutes. Th ough the number of available hepatocytes were diminished, hepatocytes procured from longer warm ischemic liver could be utilized as a biorea ctor.