title: Hepatocyte function in a radial-flow bioreactor using a perfluorocarbon oxygen carrier.
abstract: The aims of this study were, first, to indicate the metabolic activity of hepatocytes in a radial-flow polyurethane foam matrix bioreactor relative to monocultures, and second, to evaluate the effect on the hepatocytes of including a synthetic perfluorocarbon (PFC) oxygen carrier to the recirculating medium. The efficient O2-carrying ability of PFCs may be beneficial to bioreactors employed in stressed cellular environments. Thus, they may also be useful in the treatment of an acute liver failure patient with a bioartificial liver support system (BALSS). Data on the function of three-dimensional (3-D) hepatocyte cultures exposed to emulsified PFCs are lacking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the metabolic functions of the 3-D hepatocyte cultures were improved relative to monocultures. Three-dimensional cultures with and without PFC behaved similarly, and no adverse effects could be detected when PFC was included in the recirculating medium. The addition of PFC significantly improved lidocaine clearance possibly due to the presence of higher O2 tension in the medium. Imaging indicated that large aggregates formed and that seeding had followed flow through the matrix. Simulations indicated first, that the cell numbers used in this study had been insufficient to challenge the bioreactor O2 supply explaining the similarity in performance of the 3-D cultures, and second, that the benefit of adding PFC would be more pronounced at the cell densities likely to be used in a BALSS bioreactor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. martin@postino.up.ac.za
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nieuwoudt
authors.forename: Sean F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Moolman
authors.forename: Kobus J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Van Wyk
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kreft
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Olivier
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Laurens
authors.forename: Frik G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Stegman
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vosloo
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: Schalk W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: van der Merwe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D010100:Oxygen