title: Phenotype of hepatocyte spheroids in Arg-GLY-Asp (RGD) containing a thermo-reversible extracellular matrix.
abstract: The spheroid of specific cells is often regarded as the better form in artificial organs and mammalian cell bioreactors for improved cell-specific functions. In this study, freshly harvested primary rat hepatocytes, which had been cultivated as spheroids and entrapped in a synthetic thermo-reversible extracellular matrix, were examined for differentiated morphology and enhanced liver-specific functions as compared to a control set (hepatocytes in single-cell form). A copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide (98 mole % in the feed) and acrylic acid (poly(NiPAAm-co-AAc)), and the adhesion molecule, an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-incorporated thermo-reversible matrix, were used to entrap hepatocytes in the form of either spheroids or single cells. In a 28-day culture period, the spheroids in the RGD-incorporated gel maintained higher viability and produced albumin and urea at constant rates, while there was lower cell viability and less albumin secretion by the spheroids in p(NiPAAm-co-AAc). Hepatocytes cultured as spheroids in the RGD-incorporated gel would constitute a potentially useful three-dimensional cell system for application in a bio-artificial liver device.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Korea. phd0410@hanmail.net
authors.forename: Keun-Hong
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: You Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D002469:Cell Separation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D005782:Gels; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008024:Ligands; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005782:Gels; D008024:Ligands; D009842:Oligopeptides; C469412:poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide); C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid; D014508:Urea