Open AccessImprovement of Metabolic Performance of Hepatocytes Cultured In Vitro in a Packed-Bed Reactor for Use as a Bioartificial Liver
Author(s) -
Kennichi Yanagi,
Hirotoshi Miyoshi,
Norio Ohshima
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
asaio journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.961
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1538-943X
pISSN - 1058-2916
DOI - 10.1097/00002480-199809000-00022
Subject(s) - bioartificial liver device , packed bed , oxygenator , chromatography , oxygen , bioreactor , ammonium , albumin , hepatocyte , chemistry , bovine serum albumin , nuclear chemistry , in vitro , biochemistry , cardiopulmonary bypass , organic chemistry , medicine
A packed-bed reactor using reticulated polyvinyl formal (PVF) resin as a support material is a useful configuration to achieve high density culture of hepatocytes for use as a bioartificial liver. The authors investigated the effects of oxygen concentrations of the culture medium on the metabolic performance of hepatocytes cultured in the reactor. A packed-bed reactor loaded with 250 PVF resin cubes (2 x 2 x 2 mm) was used. Hepatocytes obtained from male Wistar rats were inoculated into the reactor. Culture medium was perfused from the reservoir into the reactor through an oxygenator using a roller pump. Concentration of the dissolved oxygen in the medium was controlled by changing the gas mixture ratio supplied to the oxygenator. Hepatocytes cultured in the packed-bed reactor (cell density: 8.6 x 10(6) cells/cm3 PVF) under conditions of high dissolved oxygen concentrations ranging from 260 to 460 micromol/L showed 30% higher ammonium metabolic activity and 85% higher albumin secretion activity compared with those from the monolayer culture in the earlier culture stage (up to 2 days). However, low oxygen concentrations in the medium (<100 micromol/L) impaired activities of cultured hepatocytes.