Morphological and functional evaluation of isolated rat hepatocytes in three dimensional culture systems

Various three-dimensional configurations, such as polyester tissue and wove n-nonwoven, hydrophilic polyester fabric, either collagen-coated or uncoate d, were investigated as potential scaffold for hepatocyte culture, in view of their use in bioreactors for hybrid liver support systems. Attachment, m orphology and ultrastructure of primary adult rat hepatocytes were evaluate d, as well as urea production and ammonium detoxification during a 24h incu bation period in serum-free tissue culture medium. As control, hepatocytes were also plated onto collagen-coated dextran microcarriers and on plastic petri dishes, either collagen-coated or uncoated. In all the three-dimensio nal cultures, hepatocytes appeared morphologically intact without any stati stically significant difference in metabolic activity. Collagen-coating did not influence cell attachment to polyester substrates, whereas woven-nonwo ven hydrophilic polyester fabric may offer some potential advantages as thr ee-dimensional system for hepatocyte culture in hybrid liver support system s.