Abstract
We have investigated the availability of multiporous microcarriers (MCs) for immobilizing isolated rat hepatocytes, but the pore size of MCs was too small (35μm) for hepatocyte immobilization. In this study, we immobilized isolated rat hepatocytes on MCs with larger pores, and evaluated their metabolic activity. Isolated hepatocytes were immobilized on MCs precoated with collagen by the intermittent stirring method and by aspiration, and the cellprotein content per 100 mg MCs was determined for comparison of these methods. Metabolic activity was evaluated by analyzing NH 3 metabolism, urea nitrogen synthesis and glucose synthesis. The aspiration method immobilized significantly more of hepatocytes on MCs than the intermittent stirring method ( p < 0.05). A stationary culture of hepatocytes immobilized on MCs showed a similar NH 3 metabolism to monolayer cultured hepatocytes, and hepatocytes immobilized on MCs in a floating culture showed significantly higher NH 3 metabolism than those in a stationary culture ( p < 0.01). However, monolayer cultured hepatocytes showed higher glucose synthesis than hepatocytes immobilized on MCs in a stationary culture ( p < 0.01). In conclusion, hepatocytes immobilized on MCs proved to be useful as a bioreactor in a hybrid artificial liver.
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