ULTRASTRUCTURE OF HUMAN KUPFFER CELLS MAINTAINED IN CULTURE

Sinusoidal cells were isolated by collagenase perfusion and metrizamid e gradient centrifugation, from liver resected for partial hepatectomy performed under warm ischemic conditions. Kupffer cells were then sep arated from this population by centrifugal elutriation. Isolated Kupff er cells showed good viability, with the typical features of Kupffer c ells and were engaged in the endocytosis of foreign particles. They sh owed numerous morphological criteria of activation. However, cultured Kupffer cells were no long er in an activated state. Kupffer cells wer e preserved in maintenance cultures for 2 weeks. Purity of these cultu res was to 93-97% During culture, Kupffer cells retained their ultrast ructural characteristics and were active in the endocytosis of latex b eads and opsonized zymosan particles. It is thus possible that partial hepatectomy performed under warm ischemia could provide valuable mate rial for the study of Kupffer cells in vitro.