CULTURED HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS AS A MODEL FOR HYPOTHERMIC PRESERVATION

Successful preservation of endothelial cells within the vascular bed d uring hypothermic storage is critical for organ viability after transp lantation. Hence, study of the effects of different, variables such as hypoxia, hypothermia and preservation solution composition on endothe lial cell cultures in vitro might help identify mechanisms of damage d uring organ preservation. Human vein endothelial cell cultures were su bjected to 3, 8, 16 or 24 hours of normoxic hypothermia (0-4 degrees C ) in either culture medium or one of two organ preservation solutions containing low or high levels of potassium. Monolayer integrity and ce ll viability were determined using morphometric techniques and cell me mbrane damage was assessed by monitoring lactate dehydrogenase leakage . Cold storage altered endothelial cell shape in all storage groups. T he damage increased with the length of the cold insult, most markedly between 8 and 16 hours of storage. Neither of the solutions tested imp roved the appearance or viability of cells compared with those stored in culture medium and subjected to normoxic hypothermia.