Kinematic Studies of Hepatocytes in Suspension Culture

Abstract

In order to elucidate the optimum conditions of hepatocyte culture for use as a hybrid-type artificial liver, kinematic studies were performed in a suspension culture of isolated hepatocytes of rats, concerning the effects of partial pressures of dissolved oxygen in medium and the ambient temperature on the hepatocyte viability as well as the ammonia removal rate.
Results revealed that both viability and metabolic functions of hepatocytes were greatly affected by the partial pressure of dissolved oxygen and the temperature of medium. Based on a simplified mass-transfer model, theoretical considerations about the optimum culture condition were also made.