Abstract
To enable a high density culture of hepatocytes for the use as a hybrid-type artificial liver support system, collagen-coated reticulated polyvinyl formal (PVF) resin (a filter material with porosity over 80%, Kanebo Kasei Co.) was applied for the primary culture of hepatocytes. Stationary culture experiments and perfusion culture experiments using PVF resins and monolayer culture experiments using collagen-coated Petri dishes were performed. The highest density of hepatocytes in the PVF resin was over 10 times as high as those in the monolayer culture. In perfusion culture experiments, hepatocytes secreted large molecular weight substances in the medium and showed sufficient abilities of ammonium metabolism and urea synthesis similar to those in monolayer culture experiments.
