title: Study of the survival of hepatocytes transplanted to the spleen in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although liver transplantation offers a chance of cure for patients with advanced liver disease, the shortage and the lack of immediate availability of donors remains a serious problem. We studied the long-term survival of intrasplenically transplanted hepatocytes in an attempt to provide a safe and effective support to the diseased native liver.
  
  
  METHODS
  A preliminary study was performed to identify the optimal number of hepatocytes to be transplanted into the spleen of rats to prevent acute liver failure following massive liver resection. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: Group I (n=25), Group II (n=25), Group III (n=25) and Group IV (n=25), sacrificed 48 hours and 2, 4 and 6 weeks after intrasplenic hepatocyte transplantation, respectively. All the spleen specimens of sacrificed animals were stained by PAS stain and examined for the presence of viable hepatocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As detected by PAS stain intrasplenically transplanted hepatocytes were found to be viable inside the recipient spleen for up to four weeks. However, the number of viable cells decreased with time. After six weeks, no viable hepatocytes could be detected in the spleen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrasplenic hepatocyte transplantation can achieve a long-term survival inside the recipient spleen and provide hope for a new therapeutic modality for management of liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, El-Minia University School of Medicine, Egypt. taahmad@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tarik Abdel Azeez
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ahmad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D006085:Graft Survival; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic