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Loofa Sponge as a Scaffold for the Culture of Human Hepatocyte Cell Line
Author(s) -
Chen JyhPing,
Yu ShengChun,
Hsu Brend RaySea,
Fu ShinHuei,
Liu HwaiShen
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
biotechnology progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6033
pISSN - 8756-7938
DOI - 10.1021/bp025720j
Subject(s) - cell culture , bioartificial liver device , hepatocyte , albumin , chromatography , bioreactor , perfusion , packed bed , polyurethane , biomedical engineering , sponge , chemistry , biology , materials science , biochemistry , in vitro , botany , composite material , medicine , genetics
Loofa sponge was investigated as a three‐dimensional scaffold for stationary and perfusion culture of human hepatoblastoma cell line C3A/HepG2. In stationary culture, C3A/HepG2 cells in loofa cubes showed higher α‐fetoprotein and albumin secretion rates than those in polyurethane foam (PU). To use loofa cylinders in a packed‐bed reactor, immobilization of C3A/HepG2 cells by recirculating medium at 26 mL/min (superficial velocity = 51.7 cm/min) resulted in a cell loading density of 5.15 × 10 7 cells/cm 3 ‐loofa. This cell loading density is higher than values reported in the literature for packed‐bed reactor intended for bioartificial liver. During 9 days of perfusion culture in the reactor, immobilized C3A/HepG2 showed steady synthesis of albumin with an average synthesis rate at 42.2 μg/10 6 cells/day. These experimental results and observations by SEM suggested that loofa sponge is a suitable scaffold for high‐density culture of human hepatocyte cell line and the immobilized cells could express high levels of liver‐specific functions.