Ls. Wang et al., Analysis of multivariables during porcine liver digestion to improve hepatocyte yield and viability for use in bioartificial liver support systems, CELL TRANSP, 9(3), 2000, pp. 329-336
In order to achieve optimal BALSS Function, preparation of porcine hepatocy
tes with high yield, viability, and P450 activity is known to be important.
To date hepatocyte yields have varied from 0.58 x 10(10) to 3.45 x 10(10)
and viabilities from 75% to 95% within and between laboratories, even when
using the same digestion methods and procedures, indicating that hepatocyte
isolation during porcine liver digestion is not fully optimized. The aim o
f this work was to identify the critical parameters affecting cell recovery
during porcine liver harvesting by investigating 21 variables involved in
the process, including pig body and liver weight, different digestion Limes
of perfusates, DW, a range of concentrations of sodium and chloride in EDT
A, and collagenase perfusates. Univariate and multivariate analysis of a re
trospective study (n = 23) revealed that low perfusate pH during the proces
s of digestion had a positive effect on hepatocyte yield (p < 0.05), while
high (relative) concentrations of sodium and chloride in the perfusates had
significant negative effects on hepatocyte viability (both p < 0.05). Sodi
um and chloride had narrow optimal ranges for achieving a >90% viability. T
hese findings were then tested in a prospective study (n = 10) and further
verified. High hepatocyte viabilities (91.8 +/- 1.6%, p = 0.036) and yields
(2.56 +/- 0.48 x 10(10)) were achieved consistently, and P450IA1 activity
was increased after sodium acid chloride concentrations and pH in the perfu
sates were controlled. The physiological mechanism by which sodium and chlo
ride affects: hepatocyte viability during porcine liver digestion is discus
sed.