title: Development of a scaled up liver device incorporating cryo-preserved pig liver micro-organs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Currently there is no effective therapy for most patients with fulminant or end stage liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pig liver micro-organs (LMOs), which preserve liver micro-architecture and ensure a maximal 150-200mum distance from a source of nutrients and gases have been prepared and a method to cryo-preserve them has been developed. A new scaled-up extra-corporeal liver device termed aLIVE-H in which LMOs are exposed to liver-like hemodynamic conditions has also been developed. The purpose of this work is to test the safety and function of cryo-preserved LMOs and how the hemodynamic properties of the scaled up aLIVE device affect their function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pig LMOs in aLIVE-H, transcribe albumin and Factor V at similar levels, irrespective of their position within the bioreactor, indicating that the hemodynamic features of the aLIVE-H device allow for homogeneous plasma distribution and proper function at different locations. Cryo-preserved LMOs transcribe albumin and Factor V at levels comparable to those transcribed by a normal pig liver. Connecting the aLIVE-H bioreactor to normal pigs did not affect key blood components and biochemical parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An extra-corporeal liver device aLIVE-H which imitates the hemodynamic and functional properties of the normal liver and incorporates cryo-preserved LMOs has been developed and characterized. aLIVE-H was found to perform key synthetic liver functions.
authors.affiliation: Epigenesis Ltd, P.O. Box 45010, Jerusalem 91450, Israel.
authors.forename: Amikam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gershonowitz
authors.forename: Etty Grad
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Itach
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shouval
authors.forename: Dov
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitrani
authors.forename: Yaron
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ilan
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mitrani
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005165:Factor V / Q000235:genetics; D006439:Hemodynamics; D008102:Liver Circulation; D019164:Liver, Artificial; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013552:Swine; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005165:Factor V