Biliary epithelial cells from the liver of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis: isolation, characterization, and short-term culture.
Since biliary epithelial cells of the middle-sized interlobular bile ducts are targets for lymphocyte-mediated damage in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), we have developed a method for isolating and maintaining these cells in short-term tissue culture. Intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells were isolated from small segments of liver removed at the time of transplantation. Cells were separated from a collagenase digest by immunomagnetic separation using Dynabeads coupled to a monoclonal antibody (HEA 125) specific for a biliary epithelial cell surface antigen. The yield was approximately 3 x 10(5) cells/g of liver. The isolated cells were characterized morphologically and ultrastructurally using light and electron microscopy, and immunocytochemically using HEA 125 and anti-cytokeratin, anti-vimentin and anti-asialoglycoprotein receptor antibodies. By these criteria cells were judged to be identical to biliary epithelial cells from normal liver. The cells could be maintained in short-term tissue culture for up to 4 weeks without loss of biliary epithelial cell markers. Availability of interlobular biliary epithelial cells will be of value in future investigations of the pathogenetic mechanisms of PBC.
Joplin
R
R
Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, U.K.
Strain
A J
AJ
Neuberger
J M
JM
D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*