Low density cell culture enhances the formation of tight junction and hepatic function in HepG2 cells

Abstract

HepG2, a liver cancer-derived cell line, is widely used as a human hepatocytes model. In this study, we had found that low-density cell culture induces hepatic function, so we examined the mechanism. Low-density culture increased CYPs gene expression and CYP3A4 activity in HepG2. Tight junction formation was also enhanced in low-density cultured cells, and occludin and tricellulin protein expression levels were also increased. These results suggest that low-density culture induces hepatic function via the promoting of tight junction formation.