A simple method for hepatocyte attachment in hollow fibre bioreactors

A new method for hepatocyte attachment in hollow fibre (HF) bioreactors was proposed and verified. A flow of medium with suspended hepatocytes, evoked by transmembrane pressure (TMP), and directed across the membrane into the fibre lumen, has accelerated and improved hepatocyte contact with the HF. It was found that seeding of hepatocytes onto the membrane was optimal at T MP of 50-80 mmHg. Ammonia utilisation and ureagenesis rates in hepatocytes seeded in the bioreactor suggests that the proposed method warrants proper conditions for cell functionality and allows for extended culture of hepato cytes in HF bioreactors. It is speculated that time cutback between introdu ction of hepatocytes into the bioreactor and the start of the cell attachme nt process, accomplished by the presented method, leads to substantially im proved recovery of freshly isolated hepatocytes, and consequently to better overall performance of HF bioreactor.