title: Rat hepatocyte cultures: conventional monolayer and cocultures with rat liver epithelial cells.
abstract: Primary cultures of hepatocytes are useful tools for both short- and long-term pharmacotoxicological research. Under conventional conditions, isolated hepatocytes form a monolayer and survive for about 1 wk but lose some liver-specific functions, including xenobiotic biotransformation. In comparison with the conventional monolayer culture model, cocultures with rat liver epithelial cells (RLECs) have an extended lifespan and better maintain their drug-metabolizing capacity, owing to the presence of cell-cell interactions. In this chapter, techniques for setting up conventional monolayer cultures and cocultures of hepatocytes with RLECs (including isolation, culture, and cryopreservation of RLECs) are described in detail. In addition, comments derived from our own experience are given for successfully culturing primary hepatocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henkens
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vanhaecke
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papeleu
authors.forename: Greetje
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elaut
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vinken
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Snykers
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rogiers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats