title: Enhancement of liver-specific functions of primary rat hepatocytes co-cultured with bone marrow cells on tissue culture-treated polystyrene surfaces.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan. ijima@chem-eng.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ijima
authors.forename: Sunao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Koei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawakami
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D011137:Polystyrenes; D000641:Ammonia