Abstract
Spherical multicellular aggregates of adult rat hepatocytes (spheroids) were formed in the pores of polyurethane foam (PUF) which was used as a culture substratum. A prototype of hybrid artificial liver using PUF/spheroid was designed and evaluated in this paper. The module was a type of packed-bed with 15 pieces of PUF plates which immobilized spheroids (packing ratio: 36%, vessel volume: 100cm3). In serum-free medium supplemented with 1mM-NH4Cl, urea synthesis rate and ammonia decreasing rate of hepatocytes in this module were 4.28μmol/106cells/day and 2.31μmol/106cells/day, respectively. 1.53mmol/L-module/day of urea synthesis rate permodule was also obtained. The urea synthesis rate of hepatocytes was the same as and/or more than that of in vivo level. Moreover, in the medium supplemented with 3mM-NH4Cl, the urea synthesis rate of spheroids in a module was maintained for about 1 month. These results indicated that PUF/spheroid packed-bed culture system provided a promising prototype of hybrid type artificial liver.
