title: Performance of cold-preserved rat liver Microorgans as the biological component of a simplified prototype model of bioartificial liver.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a simplified bioartificial liver (BAL) device prototype, suitable to use freshly and preserved liver Microorgans (LMOs) as biological component.
  
  
  METHODS
  The system consists of 140 capillary fibers through which goat blood is pumped. The evolution of hematocrit, plasma and extra-fiber fluid osmolality was evaluated without any biological component, to characterize the prototype. LMOs were cut and cold stored 48 h in BG35 and ViaSpan®solutions. Fresh LMOs were used as controls. After preservation, LMOs were loaded into the BAL and an ammonia overload was added. To assess LMOs viability and functionality, samples were taken to determine lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and ammonia detoxification capacity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentrations of ammonia and glucose, and the fluids osmolalities were matched after the first hour of perfusion, showing a proper exchange between blood and the biological compartment in the minibioreactor. After 120 min of perfusion, LMOs cold preserved in BG35 and ViaSpan®were able to detoxify 52.9% ± 6.5% and 53.6% ± 6.0%, respectively, of the initial ammonia overload. No significant differences were found with Controls (49.3% ± 8.8%,P< 0.05). LDH release was 6.0% ± 2.3% for control LMOs, and 6.2% ± 1.7% and 14.3% ± 1.1% for BG35 and ViaSpan®cold preserved LMOs, respectively (n= 6,P< 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This prototype relied on a simple design and excellent performance. It's a practical tool to evaluate the detoxification ability of LMOs subjected to different preservation protocols.
authors.affiliation: María Dolores Pizarro, Joaquín Valentín Rodríguez, Centro Binacional de Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada, Rosario 2000, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Pizarro
authors.affiliation: María Dolores Pizarro, Joaquín Valentín Rodríguez, Centro Binacional de Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada, Rosario 2000, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Gabriela
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Mediavilla
authors.affiliation: María Dolores Pizarro, Joaquín Valentín Rodríguez, Centro Binacional de Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada, Rosario 2000, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alejandra Beatriz
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.affiliation: María Dolores Pizarro, Joaquín Valentín Rodríguez, Centro Binacional de Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada, Rosario 2000, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ángel Luis
authors.initials: ÁL
authors.lastname: Scandizzi
authors.affiliation: María Dolores Pizarro, Joaquín Valentín Rodríguez, Centro Binacional de Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada, Rosario 2000, Argentina.
authors.forename: Joaquín Valentín
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: María Dolores Pizarro, Joaquín Valentín Rodríguez, Centro Binacional de Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada, Rosario 2000, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mamprin
keywords: Acute liver failure; BG35 preservation solution; Bioartificial liver device; Cold preservation; Rat liver Microorgans