title: Expression of some hepatocyte-like functional properties of WRL-68 cells in culture.
abstract: Some morphologic and functional characteristics of an hepatic fetal human epithelial cell line (WRL-68 cells) were determined to validate the use of these cells as an in vitro hepatic model. WRL-68 cells have a morphologic structure similar to hepatocytes and hepatic primary cultures. They secrete alpha-feto protein and albumin and exhibit a cytokeratin pattern similar to other hepatic cultures. WRL-68 cells preserve the activity of some characteristic or specific liver enzymes or both used in clinical chemistry for the diagnosis of hepatic disorders, i.e. alanine amino transferase, aspartate amino transferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and alkaline phosphatase.
authors.affiliation: Departmento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México, D.F. Mexico.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Ruiz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bucio
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cárabez
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells; D003470:Culture Media; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008954:Models, Biological; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D003470:Culture Media; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D007633:Keratins