Enhancement of liver-specific functions of primary rat hepatocytes co-cultured with bone marrow cells on tissue culture-treated polystyrene surfaces.
Primary rat hepatocytes were co-cultured with bone marrow cells (BMCs) in a tissue culture-treated culture well (TCW) or a collagen-coated culture well (CCW). Although a medium containing serum was used, the co-cultured cells formed spheroids on the TCW within 2 days, and ammonia metabolism and albumin secretion activities were well maintained for 3 weeks. The co-cultured cells formed a monolayer on the CCW within 2 days, and liver functions were maintained for 3 weeks. The ammonia metabolism activities and albumin secretion activities of co-cultured cells on the CCWs were slightly inferior to those on the TCWs. This co-culture system of hepatocytes and BMCs is an appropriate culture system for the expression and maintenance of liver-specific functions in vitro, and is expected to be applicable to bioartificial liver systems, regenerative medicine, and liver function simulators.
Ijima
Hiroyuki
H
Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan. ijima@chem-eng.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Murakami
Sunao
S
Matsuo
Takeshi
T
Takei
Takayuki
T
Ono
Tsutomu
T
Kawakami
Koei
K
D000418:Albumins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D019164:Liver, Artificial; D008297:Male; D011137:Polystyrenes; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
D000418:Albumins; D011137:Polystyrenes; D000641:Ammonia