A new technique for primary hepatocyte expansion in vitro

Primary Hepatocyte Isolation and Cultures: Technical Aspects, Challenges and Advancements

Hepatocytes are differentiated cells that account for 80% of the hepatic volume and perform all major functions of the liver. In vivo, after an acute insult, adult hepatocytes retain their ability to proliferate and participate in liver regeneration. However, in vitro, prolonged culture and proliferation of viable and functional primary hepatocytes have remained the major and the most challenging goal of hepatocyte-based cell therapies and liver tissue engineering. The first functional cultures of rat primary hepatocytes between two layers of collagen gel, also termed as the "sandwich cultures", were reported in 1989. Since this study, several technical developments including choice of hydrogels, type of microenvironment, growth factors and culture conditions, mono or co-cultures of hepatocytes along with other supporting cell types have evolved for both rat and human primary hepatocytes in recent years. All these improvements have led to a substantial improvement in the number, life-span and hepatic functions of these cells in vitro for several downstream applications. In the current review, we highlight the details, limitations and prospects of different technical strategies being used in primary hepatocyte cultures. We discuss the use of newer biomaterials as scaffolds for efficient culture of primary hepatocytes. We also describe the derivation of mature hepatocytes from other cellular sources such as induced pluripotent stem cells, bone marrow stem cells and 3D liver organoids. Finally, we also explain the use of perfusion-based bioreactor systems and bioengineering strategies to support the long-term function of hepatocytes in 3D conditions.

A vascularized model of the human liver mimics regenerative responses

Liver regeneration is a well-orchestrated process that is typically studied in animal models. Although previous animal studies have offered many insights into liver regeneration, human biology is less well understood. To this end, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) platform called structurally vascularized hepatic ensembles for analyzing regeneration (SHEAR) to model multiple aspects of human liver regeneration. SHEAR enables control over hemodynamic alterations to mimic those that occur during liver injury and regeneration and supports the administration of biochemical inputs such as cytokines and paracrine interactions with endothelial cells. We found that exposing the endothelium-lined channel to fluid flow led to increased secretion of regeneration-associated factors. Stimulation with relevant cytokines not only amplified the secretory response, but also induced cell-cycle entry of primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) embedded within the device. Further, we identified endothelial-derived mediators that are sufficient to initiate proliferation of PHHs in this context. Collectively, the data presented here underscore the importance of multicellular models that can recapitulate high-level tissue functions and demonstrate that the SHEAR device can be used to discover and validate conditions that promote human liver regeneration.

Delivery of Hydrophobic Drugs to the Posterior Ocular Region by Gel-in-Water Nanoemulsion

Purpose

The aim of this study was to develop a nanogel emulsion as a minimally invasive, safe, and effective treatment alternative for posterior ocular diseases.

Methods

A gel-in-water (G/W) nanoemulsion was developed by ultrasonication using beeswax as an organogelator. Different physicochemical properties were evaluated along with particle size analysis by dynamic light scattering. In vitro biocompatibility of G/W nanoemulsion using rat hepatocytes and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in vivo corneal permeability as eye drops were investigated.

Results

The nanogel emulsion was monodispersed with a polydispersity index and particle diameter of approximately 0.2 and 200 nm, respectively. The zeta potential value of −8.1 mV suggested enhanced stability and improved retinal permeability of nanoparticles. The prepared nanoemulsion was found to be biocompatible with hepatocytes and HUVECs in vitro. Moreover, in vivo study demonstrated high permeability of G/W nanoemulsion to the retinal layer with no ocular irritation.

Conclusions

G/W nanoemulsions have the potential for topical drug delivery in the posterior eye segment with maximum therapeutic efficacy.

Translational Relevance

Organogel nanodispersion is a new concept to deliver hydrophobic drugs to the posterior segment of eyes as a novel drug delivery system.

In vitro ballooned hepatocytes can be produced by primary human hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cell sheets

Despite the increasing prevalence of Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) worldwide, there is no effective treatment available for this disease. “Ballooned hepatocyte” is a characteristic finding in NASH and is correlated with disease prognosis, but their mechanisms of action are poorly understood; furthermore, neither animal nor in vitro models of NASH have been able to adequately represent ballooned hepatocytes. Herein, we engineered cell sheets to develop a new in vitro model of ballooned hepatocytes. Primary human hepatocytes (PHH) and Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) were co-cultured to produce cell sheets, which were cultured in glucose and lipid containing medium, following which histological and functional analyses were performed. Histological findings showed hepatocyte ballooning, accumulation of fat droplets, abnormal cytokeratin arrangement, and the presence of Mallory–Denk bodies and abnormal organelles. These findings are similar to those of ballooned hepatocytes in human NASH. Functional analysis showed elevated levels of TGFβ-1, SHH, and p62, but not TNF-α, IL-8. Exposure of PHH/HSC sheets to a glucolipotoxicity environment induces ballooned hepatocyte without inflammation. Moreover, fibrosis is an important mechanism underlying ballooned hepatocytes and could be the basis for the development of a new in vitro NASH model with ballooned hepatocytes.

Hepatocyte cultures: From collagen gel sandwiches to microfluidic devices with integrated biosensors

Hepatocytes are parenchymal cells of the liver responsible for drug detoxification, urea and bile production, serum protein synthesis, and glucose homeostasis. Hepatocytes are widely used for drug toxicity studies in bioartificial liver devices and for cell-based liver therapies. Because hepatocytes are highly differentiated cells residing in a complex microenvironment in vivo, they tend to lose hepatic phenotype and function in vitro. This paper first reviews traditional culture approaches used to rescue hepatic function in vitro and then discusses the benefits of emerging microfluidic-based culture approaches. We conclude by reviewing integration of hepatocyte cultures with bioanalytical or sensing approaches.

Gel-in-water nanodispersion for potential application in intravenous delivery of anticancer drugs

Organogels are semi-solid systems that can gel organic liquids at low concentrations. The use of organogels in drug delivery has grown rapidly in the last decade owing to their fibrous microstructure and suitability for different routes of administration. The current study is characterized by nanogel dispersion (NGD) development based on emulsion technology. The efficiency of this organogel based NGD as a carrier for anticancer drugs was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. 12-Hydroxystearic acid formed an organogel with lipiodol and encapsulated the anticancer drug paclitaxel. The gel-in-water (G/W) nanodispersion was prepared via ultrasonication and stabilized by a nonionic surfactant. The results showed that the organogel enabled sustained drug release from G/W nanodispersion over time, along with enhanced cellular uptake. The prepared G/W nanodispersion was found to be biocompatible with mouse hepatocytes and fibroblast cells in vitro, whereas paclitaxel-loaded G/W nanodispersion showed cytotoxicity (p <0.05) against lung cancer (A549) cell lines. Similarly, intravenous administration of paclitaxel-loaded G/W nanodispersion exerts an anticancer effect against lung cancer in vivo, with a significant decrease in tumor volume (p <0.05). Therefore, the proposed G/W nanodispersion could be a promising carrier for chemotherapy agents with sustained drug release and better therapeutic outcomes against cancer.

Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells affect urea synthesis and the cell apoptosis of human induced hepatocytes by secreting IL-6 in a serum-free co-culture system

BACKGROUND

Bioartificial livers (BALs) are emerging as a potential supportive therapy for liver diseases. However, the maintenance of hepatocyte function and viability is a major challenge. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted extensive attention for providing trophic support to hepatocytes, but only few studies have explored the interaction between human MSCs and human hepatocytes, and very little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms whereby MSCs affect hepatocyte function, especially in serum-free medium (SFM).

CONCLUSION

The SFM co-culture strategy showed major advantages in maintaining hiHep function and viability, which is of great significance for the clinical application of hiHeps in BALs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Development of liver microtissues with functional biliary ductular network

Liver tissue engineering aims to create transplantable liver grafts that can serve as substitutes for donor's livers. One major challenge in creating a fully functional liver tissue has been to recreate the biliary drainage in an engineered liver construct through integration of bile canaliculi (BC) with the biliary ductular network that would enable the clearance of bile from the hepatocytes to the host duodenum. In this study, we show the formation of such a hepatic microtissue by coculturing rat primary hepatocytes with cholangiocytes and stromal cells. Our results indicate that within the spheroids, hepatocytes maintained viability and function for up to 7 days. Viable hepatocytes became polarized by forming BC with the presence of tight junctions. Morphologically, hepatocytes formed the core of the spheroids, while cholangiocytes resided at the periphery forming a monolayer microcysts and tubular structures extending outward. The spheroids were subsequently cultured in clusters to create a higher order ductular network resembling hepatic lobule. The cholangiocytes formed functional biliary ductular channels in between hepatic spheroids that were able to collect, transport, and secrete bile. Our results constitute the first step to recreate hepatic building blocks with biliary drainage for repopulating the whole liver scaffolds to be used as transplantable liver grafts.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Design of Liver-on-Chip Microdevices

The liver is the central hub of xenobiotic metabolism and consequently the organ most prone to cosmetic- and drug-induced toxicity. Failure to detect liver toxicity or to assess compound clearance during product development is a major cause of postmarketing product withdrawal, with disastrous clinical and financial consequences. While small animals are still the preferred model in drug development, the recent ban on animal use in the European Union created a pressing need to develop precise and efficient tools to detect human liver toxicity during cosmetic development. This article includes a brief review of liver development, organization, and function and focuses on the state of the art of long-term cell culture, including hepatocyte cell sources, heterotypic cell-cell interactions, oxygen demands, and culture medium formulation. Finally, the article reviews emerging liver-on-chip devices and discusses the advantages and pitfalls of individual designs. The goal of this review is to provide a framework to design liver-on-chip devices and criteria with which to evaluate this emerging technology.

Tanshinone IIA prevents rifampicin-induced liver injury by regulating BSEP/NTCP expression via epigenetic activation of NRF2

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Rifampicin (RFP)-induced cholestatic liver injury is characterized by impaired hepatic bile acid (BA) transport. Bile salt efflux pump (BSEP) and Na+/taurocholate cotransporter (NTCP) are the major BA transporters. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying these transporters.

METHODS

The role of tanshinone IIA (TAN IIA) in preventing RFP-induced liver injury was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, based on the regulatory mechanism of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-BSEP/NTCP signalling. The epigenetic induction of NRF2 by TAN IIA was investigated as well as the influence on BSEP and NTCP transcriptional activation and NRF2 DNA-binding ability.

RESULTS

TAN IIA strongly induced BSEP and NTCP expression in hepatocytes. NRF2 knockdown abrogated the induction. We found two NRF2 binding sites on the human BSEP promoter, called musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma recognition elements (MAREs), and one MARE on the NTCP promoter. Human BSEP and NTCP promoter luciferase reporter gene plasmids were stimulated by NRF2. Mutations of the predicted MAREs abolished NRF2 transcriptional activation. TAN IIA induced the expression of ten-eleven translocation 2 (TET2) to mediate the demethylation of NRF2, which promoted NRF2 DNA-binding on the BSEP and NTCP promoters and their transcriptional activation. Finally, in vivo, Nrf2 played an important role in RFP-induced liver injury (more serious liver injury in Nrf2-/- mice), and TAN IIA prevented it.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that NRF2 regulates the target transporters BSEP and NTCP, depending on the DNA demethylation by TET2. Pharmacological activation of NRF2 by TAN IIA may be beneficial for RFP-induced liver injury.

Cell-Type-Specific Quantification of a Scaffold-Based 3D Liver Co-Culture

In order to increase the metabolic activity of human hepatocytes and liver cancer cell lines, many approaches have been reported in recent years. The metabolic activity could be increased mainly by cultivating the cells in 3D systems or co-cultures (with other cell lines). However, if the system becomes more complex, it gets more difficult to quantify the number of cells (e.g., on a 3D matrix). Until now, it has been impossible to quantify different cell types individually in 3D co-culture systems. Therefore, we developed a PCR-based method that allows the quantification of HepG2 cells and 3T3-J2 cells separately in a 3D scaffold culture. Moreover, our results show that this method allows better comparability between 2D and 3D cultures in comparison to the often-used approaches based on metabolic activity measurements, such as the conversion of resazurin.

Preparation of Primary Rat Hepatocyte Spheroids Utilizing the Liquid‐Overlay Technique

Herein, we describe a protocol for the preparation and analysis of primary isolated rat hepatocytes in a 3D cell culture format described as spheroids. The hepatocyte cells spontaneously self‐aggregate into spheroids without the need for synthetic extracellular matrices or hydrogels. Primary rat hepatocytes (PRHs) are a readily available source of primary differentiated liver cells and therefore conserve many of the required liver‐specific functional markers, and elicit the natural in vivo phenotype when compared with common hepatic cells lines. We describe the liquid‐overlay technique which provides an ultra‐low attachment surface on which PRHs can be cultured as spheroids. © 2019 The Authors.

Basic Protocol 1: Preparation of agarose‐coated plates

Basic Protocol 2: Primary rat hepatocyte isolation procedure

Basic Protocol 3: Primary rat hepatocyte spheroid culture

Basic Protocol 4: Immunofluorescent analysis of PRH spheroids

3D Construction of Shape-Controllable Tissues through Self-Bonding of Multicellular Microcapsules

Designed microtissues that replicate highly ordered three-dimensional (3D) multicellular in vivo structures have shown huge potential in biomedical research and drug discovery. Through microencapsulation and microfluidic techniques, cell-laden microcapsules have been widely used as pathological or pharmacological models. However, most conventional microtissue construction strategies can only engineer simply predefined microcapsules with monotonous biological components in two dimensions. Here, we propose a flexible 3D microtissue construction method through self-bonding of real-time shape-programmable microcapsules. The microcapsules are prepared by photo-induced electrodeposition of cell-laden alginate hydrogel and flexibly tailored into tissue-specific shapes, sizes, and arbitrary biocomponents. With the local fluidics-guided assembly, the microcapsules are spatially organized into 3D perfectly aligned microtissues. To mimic in vivo intercellular connection, the aligned microcapsules are precoated with fibroblasts to self-bond the adjacent layers into a robust assemblage through fibroblast-extracellular matrix interactions, which highly reproduces the tissue morphogenesis in natural organisms. As a typical complex tissue model, the 3D hepatic lobule was engineered utilizing HepG2 cells seeded into microcapsules with a fibroblast coating, and its biofunction including albumin and urea secretion was improved by nearly two-fold compared with cells seeded without a fibroblast coating. We anticipate that our method will be capable of regenerating more complex multicellular constructs with unprecedented possibilities for future tissue engineering applications.

YAP Activation Drives Liver Regeneration after Cholestatic Damage Induced by Rbpj Deletion

Liver cholestasis is a chronic liver disease and a major health problem worldwide. Cholestasis is characterised by a decrease in bile flow due to impaired secretion by hepatocytes or by obstruction of bile flow through intra- or extrahepatic bile ducts. Thereby cholestasis can induce ductal proliferation, hepatocyte injury and liver fibrosis. Notch signalling promotes the formation and maturation of bile duct structures. Here we investigated the liver regeneration process in the context of cholestasis induced by disruption of the Notch signalling pathway. Liver-specific deletion of recombination signal binding protein for immunoglobulin kappa j region (Rbpj), which represents a key regulator of Notch signalling, induces severe cholestasis through impaired intra-hepatic bile duct (IHBD) maturation, severe necrosis and increased lethality. Deregulation of the biliary compartment and cholestasis are associated with the change of several signalling pathways including a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) gene set representing the Hippo pathway, further yes-associated protein (YAP) activation and upregulation of SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 9 (SOX9), which is associated with transdifferentiation of hepatocytes. SOX9 upregulation in cholestatic liver injury in vitro is independent of Notch signalling. We could comprehensively address that in vivo Rbpj depletion is followed by YAP activation, which influences the transdifferentiation of hepatocytes and thereby contributing to liver regeneration.

Calcium Signaling in Liver Injury and Regeneration

The liver fulfills central roles in metabolic control and detoxification and, as such, is continuously exposed to a plethora of insults. Importantly, the liver has a unique ability to regenerate and can completely recoup from most acute, non-iterative insults. However, multiple conditions, including viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), long-term alcohol abuse and chronic use of certain medications, can cause persistent injury in which the regenerative capacity eventually becomes dysfunctional, resulting in hepatic scaring and cirrhosis. Calcium is a versatile secondary messenger that regulates multiple hepatic functions, including lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as bile secretion and choleresis. Accordingly, dysregulation of calcium signaling is a hallmark of both acute and chronic liver diseases. In addition, recent research implicates calcium transients as essential components of liver regeneration. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the role of calcium signaling in liver health and disease and discuss the importance of calcium in the orchestration of the ensuing regenerative response. Furthermore, we highlight similarities and differences in spatiotemporal calcium regulation between liver insults of different etiologies. Finally, we discuss intracellular calcium control as an emerging therapeutic target for liver injury and summarize recent clinical findings of calcium modulation for the treatment of ischemic-reperfusion injury, cholestasis and NAFLD.

Three-dimensional liver-derived extracellular matrix hydrogel promotes liver organoids function

An important advantage of employing extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived biomaterials in tissue engineering is the ability to tailor the biochemical and biophysical microenvironment of the cells. This study aims to assess whether three-dimensional (3D) liver-derived ECM hydrogel (LEMgel) promotes physiological function of liver organoids generated by self-organization of human hepatocarcinoma cells together with human mesenchymal and endothelial cells. We have optimized the decellularization method to fabricate liver ECM derived from sheep to preserve the greatest content of glycosaminoglycans, collagen, laminin, and fibronectin in produced LEMgel. During gelation, complex viscoelasticity modulus of the LEMgel (3 mg/mL) increased from 186.7 to 1570.5 Pa and Tan Delta decreased from 0.27 to 0.18. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) determined that the LEMgel had a pore size of 382 ± 71 µm. Hepatocarcinoma cells in the self-organized liver organoids in 3D LEMgel (LEMgel organoids) showed an epithelial phenotype and expressed ALB, CYP3A4, E-cadherin, and ASGPR. The LEMgel organoid had significant upregulation of transcripts of ALB, CYP3A4, CYP3A7, and TAT as well as downregulation of AFP compared to collagen type I- and hydrogel-free-organoids or organoids in solubilized LEM and 2D culture of hepatocarcinoma cells. Generated 3D LEMgel organoids had significantly more ALB and AAT secretion, urea production, CYP3A4 enzyme activity, and inducibility. In conclusion, 3D LEMgel enhanced the functional activity of self-organized liver organoids compared to traditional 2D, 3D, and collagen gel cultures. Our novel 3D LEMgel organoid could potentially be used in liver tissue engineering, drug discovery, toxicology studies, or bio-artificial liver fabrication.

Salvianolic Acid B Enhances Hepatic Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells Through Upregulation of WNT Pathway and Inhibition of Notch Pathway

Hepatocytes differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) could provide a powerful tool for enabling cell-based therapies, studying the mechanisms underlying human liver development and disease, and testing the efficacy and safety of pharmaceuticals. However, currently most in vitro protocols yield hepatocytes with low levels of liver function. In this study, we investigated the potential of Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), an active pharmaceutical compound present in Salvia miltiorrhiza, which has been shown to have an antifibrotic effect in previous studies, to enhance hepatocyte differentiation from human ESCs. After treatment with Sal B, albumin expression and secretion were consistently increased, indicating that Sal B could promote hepatocyte differentiation process. Expression of a large number of important phase 1 and 2 metabolizing enzymes and phase 3 transporters was also increased in treated cells, indicating an enhanced biotransformation function. Our investigations further revealed the activation of Wnt pathway in treated cells, as determined by upregulation of Wnts, which increased amounts of nuclear β-catenin. This increased nuclear β-catenin led in turn to the enhanced expression of T cell factor (TCF) 3 and lymphoid enhancer-binding factor (LEF) 1 which upregulated their downstream targets, cyclin D1 and c-Myc. Notch receptors (Notch1, Notch3), Notch ligand (Jagged2), and Notch receptor targets [hairy and enhancer of split (Hes) 1, 5] were downregulated in treated cells, suggesting that Notch pathway was inhibited. Consistent with the inhibition of Notch pathway, expression of cholangiocyte marker, CK7, was significantly reduced by treatment with Sal B. Numb, a direct transcriptional target of Wnt pathway and a negative regulator of Notch pathway, was upregulated, consistent with activation of Wnt signaling and suppression of Notch signaling. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that Sal B enhanced hepatocyte differentiation from human ESCs through activation of Wnt pathway and inhibition of Notch pathway. Therefore, this study suggests that Sal B can be used as a potential agent to generate more mature hepatocytes for cell-based therapeutics and pharmaceutical studies.

Bioengineering considerations in liver regenerative medicine

Background

Liver disease contributes significantly to global disease burden and is associated with rising incidence and escalating costs. It is likely that innovative approaches, arising from the emerging field of liver regenerative medicine, will counter these trends.

Main body

Liver regenerative medicine is a rapidly expanding field based on a rich history of basic investigations into the nature of liver structure, physiology, development, regeneration, and function. With a bioengineering perspective, we discuss all major subfields within liver regenerative medicine, focusing on the history, seminal publications, recent progress within these fields, and commercialization efforts. The areas reviewed include fundamental aspects of liver transplantation, liver regeneration, primary hepatocyte cell culture, bioartificial liver, hepatocyte transplantation and liver cell therapies, mouse liver repopulation, adult liver stem cell/progenitor cells, pluripotent stem cells, hepatic microdevices, and decellularized liver grafts.

Conclusion

These studies highlight the creative directions of liver regenerative medicine, the collective efforts of scientists, engineers, and doctors, and the bright outlook for a wide range of approaches and applications which will impact patients with liver disease.

Long-term liver-specific functions of hepatocytes in electrospun chitosan nanofiber scaffolds coated with fibronectin

In this study, a new 3D liver model was developed using biomimetic nanofiber scaffolds and co-culture system consisting of hepatocytes and fibroblasts for the maintenance of long-term liver functions. The chitosan nanofiber scaffolds were fabricated by the electrospinning technique. To enhance cellular adhesion and spreading, the surfaces of the chitosan scaffolds were coated with fibronectin (FN) by adsorption and evaluated for various cell types. Cellular phenotype, protein expression, and liver-specific functions were extensively characterized by immunofluorescent and histochemical stainings, albumin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Cytochrome p450 detoxification assays, and scanning electron microscopy. The electrospun chitosan scaffolds exhibited a highly porous and randomly oriented nanofibrous structure. The FN coating on the surface of the chitosan nanofibers significantly enhanced cell attachment and spreading, as expected, as surface modification with this cell adhesion molecule on the chitosan surface is important for focal adhesion formation and integrin binding. Comparison of hepatocyte mono-cultures and co-cultures in 3D culture systems indicated that the hepatocytes in co-cultures formed colonies and maintained their morphologies and functions for prolonged periods of time. The 3D liver tissue model developed in this study will provide useful tools toward the development of engineered liver tissues for drug screening and tissue engineering applications. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2119-2128, 2017.

Converging biofabrication and organoid technologies: the next frontier in hepatic and intestinal tissue engineering?

Adult tissue stem cells can form self-organizing 3D organoids in vitro. Organoids resemble small units of their organ of origin and have great potential for tissue engineering, as well as models of disease. However, current culture technology limits the size, architecture and complexity of organoids. Here, we review the establishment of intestinal and hepatic organoids and discuss how the convergence of organoids and biofabrication technologies can help overcome current limitations, and thereby further advance the translational application of organoids in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Three-dimensional hepatic lobule-like tissue constructs using cell-microcapsule technology

The proper functioning of the liver and tissues containing hepatocytes greatly depends upon the intricate organization of the cells. Consequently, controlling the shape of three-dimensional (3D) cellular constructs is an important issue for in vitro applications of fabricated artificial livers. However, the precise control of tissue shape at the microscale cannot be achieved with various commonly used 3D tissue-engineered building units, such as spheroids. Here, we present the fabrication of hepatic lobule-shaped microtissue (HLSM) containing rat liver (RLC-18) cells. By using cell-microcapsule technology, RLC-18 cells were encapsulated in the core region of poly-l-lysine-alginate microcapsules. After 14days of long-term cultivation, RLC-18 cells self-assembled into HLSM, and the cells fully occupied the microcapsule. By monitoring the cell number and albumin secretion during culture and characterizing the dimensions of the fabricated tissue, we demonstrated that the HLSM showed higher hepatic function as compared with normal cell spheroids. We also showcased the assembly of these microtissues into a 3D four-layered hepatic lobule model by a facile micromanipulation method. Our technology for fabricating 3D multilayer hepatic lobule-like, biofunctional tissue enables the precise control of tissue shape in three dimensions. Furthermore, these constructs can serve as tissue-engineered building blocks for larger organs and cellular implants in clinical treatment.

Rapid isolation of murine primary hepatocytes for chromosomal analysis

Primary hepatocyte culture is a crucial tool for investigations of liver function and for evaluating the toxic effects of drugs. In addition, chromosomal analysis of hepatocytes could also prove useful for understanding the mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis. However, cultivation of primary hepatocytes for chromosome analysis has been hampered by the specific equipment and skill required to perform the in situ perfusion step necessary for isolation of primary hepatocytes. In the present study, we aimed to establish a simple and efficient method of isolating hepatocytes suitable for chromosome analysis. We performed hepatocyte isolation without using collagenase perfusion, instead digesting liver tissues using collagenase in tubes. In addition, we examined hepatocyte and bone marrow cell (BMC) co-culture and cultivation of hepatocytes with medium containing BMC culture medium supernatants. We found that hepatocyte viability and attachment rate were significantly improved, both by co-culture with BMCs and medium containing BMC culture media supernatants, with the latter also significantly increasing the mitotic index. Using this simple method of isolation and cultivation, we could successfully perform chromosomal analysis of mouse primary hepatocytes. This method has the potential to help understand the mechanisms underlying chromosomal instability-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis.

Cultured cell-derived decellularized matrices: a review towards the next decade

Summary of recent progress in cell-derived decellularized matrices preparation and application, with perspectives towards the next decade.

Stage-specific regulation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway enhances differentiation of hESCs into hepatocytes

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hepatocytes differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have the potential to overcome the shortage of primary hepatocytes for clinical use and drug development. Many strategies for this process have been reported, but the functionality of the resulting cells is incomplete. We hypothesize that the functionality of hPSC-derived hepatocytes might be improved by making the differentiation method more similar to normal in vivo hepatic development.

METHODS

We tested combinations of growth factors and small molecules targeting candidate signaling pathways culled from the literature to identify optimal conditions for differentiation of hESCs to hepatocytes, using qRT-PCR for stage-specific markers to identify the best conditions. Immunocytochemistry was then used to validate the selected conditions. Finally, induction of expression of metabolic enzymes in terminally differentiated cells was used to assess the functionality of the hESC-derived hepatocytes.

RESULTS

Optimal differentiation of hESCs was attained using a 5-stage protocol. After initial induction of definitive endoderm (stage 1), we showed that inhibition of the WNT/β-catenin pathway during the 2nd and 3rd stages of differentiation was required to specify first posterior foregut, and then hepatic gut cells. In contrast, during the 4th stage of differentiation, we found that activation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway allowed generation of proliferative bipotent hepatoblasts, which then were efficiently differentiated into hepatocytes in the 5th stage by dual inhibition of TGF-β and NOTCH signaling.

CONCLUSION

Here, we show that stage-specific regulation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway results in improved differentiation of hESCs to functional hepatocytes.

Effect of Concentrated Fibroblast-Conditioned Media on In Vitro Maintenance of Rat Primary Hepatocyte

The effects of concentrated fibroblast-conditioned media were tested to determine whether hepatocyte function can be maintained without direct contact between hepatocytes and fibroblasts. Primary rat hepatocytes cultured with a concentrated conditioned media of NIH-3T3 J2 cell line (final concentration of 55 mg/ml) showed significantly improved survival and functions (albumin and urea) compared to those of control groups. They also showed higher expression levels of mRNA, albumin and tyrosine aminotransferase compared to hepatocyte monoculture. The results suggest that culture with concentrated fibroblast-conditioned media could be an easy method for in vitro maintenance of primary hepatocytes. They also could be contribute to understand and analyze co-culture condition of hepatocyte with stroma cells.

In vitro culture of isolated primary hepatocytes and stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells for liver regeneration

Various liver diseases result in terminal hepatic failure, and liver transplantation, cell transplantation and artificial liver support systems are emerging as effective therapies for severe hepatic disease. However, all of these treatments are limited by organ or cell resources, so developing a sufficient number of functional hepatocytes for liver regeneration is a priority. Liver regeneration is a complex process regulated by growth factors (GFs), cytokines, transcription factors (TFs), hormones, oxidative stress products, metabolic networks, and microRNA. It is well-known that the function of isolated primary hepatocytes is hard to maintain; when cultured in vitro, these cells readily undergo dedifferentiation, causing them to lose hepatocyte function. For this reason, most studies focus on inducing stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) in vitro. In this review, we mainly focus on the nature of the liver regeneration process and discuss how to maintain and enhance in vitro hepatic function of isolated primary hepatocytes or stem cell-derived HLCs for liver regeneration. In this way, hepatocytes or HLCs may be applied for clinical use for the treatment of terminal liver diseases and may prolong the survival time of patients in the near future.

Isolation and Expansion of Hepatic Stem-like Cells from a Healthy Rat Liver and their Efficient Hepatic Differentiation of under Well-defined Vivo Hepatic like Microenvironment in a Multiwell Bioreactor

BACKGROUND

Currently, undifferentiated cells are found in all tissue and term as local stem cells which are quiescent in nature and less in number under normal healthy conditions but activate upon injury and repair the tissue or organs via automated activating mechanism. Due to very scanty presence of local resident somatic local stem cells in healthy organs, isolation and expansion of these adult stems is an immense challenge for medical research and cell based therapy. Particularly organ like liver, there is an ongoing controversy about existence of liver stem cells.

METHODS

Herein, Hepatic stem cells population was identified during culture of primary hepatocyte cells upon immediate isolation of primary hepatocyte cells. These liver stem cells has been expanded extensively and differentiated into primary hepatocytes under defined culture conditions in a nanostructured self assembling peptides modular bioreactor that mimic the state of art of liver microenvironment and compared with Matrigel as a positive control. Nanostructured self assembling peptides were used a defined extracellular matrix and Matrigel was used for undefined extracellular matrix. Proliferation of hepatic stem cells was investigated by two strategies. First strategy is to provide high concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and second strategy is to evaluate the role of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in presence of trauma/ischemia cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α). Expansion to hepatic differentiation is observed by morphological analysis and was evaluated for the expression of hepatocyte-specific genes using RT-PCR and biochemical methods.

RESULTS

Hepatocyte-specific genes are well expressed at final stage (day 21) of differentiation period. The differentiated hepatocytes exhibited functional hepatic characteristics such as albumin secretion, urea secretion and cytochrome P450 expression. Additionally, immunofluorescence analysis revealed that hepatic stem cells derived hepatocytes exhibited mature hepatocyte markers (albumin, CK-19, CPY3A1, alpha 1-antitrypsin). Expansion and hepatic differentiation was efficiently in nanostructured self assembling peptides without such batch to batch variation while there was much variation in Matrigel coated bioreactor. In conclusion, the results of the study suggest that the nanostructured self assembling peptides coated bioreactor supports expansion as well as hepatic differentiation of liver stem cells which is superior than Matrigel.

CONCLUSION

This defined microenvironment conditions in bioreactor module can be useful for research involving bioartificial liver system, stem cell research and engineered liver tissue which could contribute to regenerative cell therapies or drug discovery and development.

Microengineered cell and tissue systems for drug screening and toxicology applications: Evolution of in-vitro liver technologies

The liver performs many key functions, the most prominent of which is serving as the metabolic hub of the body. For this reason, the liver is the focal point of many investigations aimed at understanding an organism's toxicological response to endogenous and exogenous challenges. Because so many drug failures have involved direct liver toxicity or other organ toxicity from liver generated metabolites, the pharmaceutical industry has constantly sought superior, predictive in-vitro models that can more quickly and efficiently identify problematic drug candidates before they incur major development costs, and certainly before they are released to the public. In this broad review, we present a survey and critical comparison of in-vitro liver technologies along a broad spectrum, but focus on the current renewed push to develop "organs-on-a-chip". One prominent set of conclusions from this review is that while a large body of recent work has steered the field towards an ever more comprehensive understanding of what is needed, the field remains in great need of several key advances, including establishment of standard characterization methods, enhanced technologies that mimic the in-vivo cellular environment, and better computational approaches to bridge the gap between the in-vitro and in-vivo results.

Cell and tissue engineering for liver disease

Despite the tremendous hurdles presented by the complexity of the liver's structure and function, advances in liver physiology, stem cell biology and reprogramming, and the engineering of tissues and devices are accelerating the development of cell-based therapies for treating liver disease and liver failure. This State of the Art Review discusses both the near- and long-term prospects for such cell-based therapies and the unique challenges for clinical translation.

Hepatocyte cocultures with endothelial cells and fibroblasts on micropatterned fibrous mats to promote liver-specific functions and capillary formation capabilities

The maintenance of hepatocyte phenotype and functions remains as a great challenge in the generation of functional liver tissue and in vitro model for drug metabolism studies. The use of hepatocyte coculture systems plays essential roles in the establishment of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix communications similar to native liver tissues. In the current study, micropatterned electrospun fibrous mats were created to load hepatocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells (ECs), which were precisely assembled to establish their spatially controlled coculture for mimicking the in vivo structure of hepatic lobules. Hepatocytes formed compact polyhedral spheroids with an average diameter of 80-100 μm, reorganized actin filaments in the cell-cell contact regions, and well-developed bile canaliculi. Compared with hepatocytes cultured alone, the coculture of hepatocytes with either fibroblasts or ECs led to significantly higher albumin secretion, urea synthesis and cytochrome P-450 expression, which were dramatically improved by the coculture of hepatocytes with both fibroblasts and ECs. The cocultured ECs well spread on patterned regions with little organized filamentous actin, and significantly higher densities and deeper penetration into patterned scaffolds were determined for ECs after coculture with fibroblasts and hepatocytes compared with those after cultured alone or coculture with either fibroblasts or hepatocytes. A Matrigel overlay assay showed that the capabilities of ECs to form capillary tubes were significantly enhanced by micropatterned coculture with fibroblasts and hepatocytes. Thus, the coculture of hepatocytes, fibroblasts, and ECs on micropatterned fibrous mats helps both hepatocytes in the maintenance of hepatic functions and ECs in the formation of capillary-like structures. It is suggested that the micropatterned coculture model described here not only provides functional hepatic tissues for predictions of drug metabolism profiles, but also will enable investigations on more complex and physiological cell-cell communications.

Micropatterned co-culture of hepatocyte spheroids layered on non-parenchymal cells to understand heterotypic cellular interactions

Microfabrication and micropatterning techniques in tissue engineering offer great potential for creating and controlling cellular microenvironments including cell-matrix interactions, soluble stimuli and cell-cell interactions. Here, we present a novel approach to generate layered patterning of hepatocyte spheroids on micropatterned non-parenchymal feeder cells using microfabricated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels. Micropatterned PEG-hydrogel-treated substrates with two-dimensional arrays of gelatin circular domains (ϕ = 100 μm) were prepared by photolithographic method. Only on the critical structure of PEG hydrogel with perfect protein rejection, hepatocytes were co-cultured with non-parenchymal cells to be led to enhanced hepatocyte functions. Then, we investigated the mechanism of the functional enhancement in co-culture with respect to the contributions of soluble factors and direct cell-cell interactions. In particular, to elucidate the influence of soluble factors on hepatocyte function, hepatocyte spheroids underlaid with fibroblasts (NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts) or endothelial cells (BAECs: bovine aortic endothelial cells) were compared with physically separated co-culture of hepatocyte monospheroids with NIH3T3 or BAEC using trans-well culture systems. Our results suggested that direct heterotypic cell-to-cell contact and soluble factors, both of these between hepatocytes and fibroblasts, significantly enhanced hepatocyte functions. In contrast, direct heterotypic cell-to-cell contact between hepatocytes and endothelial cells only contributed to enhance hepatocyte functions. This patterning technique can be a useful experimental tool for applications in basic science, drug screening and tissue engineering, as well as in the design of artificial liver devices.

Alginate gel microwell arrays using electrodeposition for three-dimensional cell culture

In this study, we developed a novel method for fabricating microwell arrays constructed from alginate gels, and the alginate gel microwells were used for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. The alginate gel microwells were fabricated on a patterned ITO electrode using alginate gel electrodeposition. Embryonic stem (ES) cells or hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) were cultured in the alginate gel microwells containing 3T3 cells. During the culture, embryoid bodies (EBs) or HepG2 spheroids were successfully fabricated in the alginate gel microwells. The oxygen consumption of the EBs indicated that they were successfully cultured. Liver-specific gene expressions of the HepG2 spheroids apparently increased by performing 3D co-culture in the microwell arrays with 3T3 cells. These results show that the alginate gel microwells are a useful 3D culture system.

Recent advances in 2D and 3D in vitro systems using primary hepatocytes, alternative hepatocyte sources and non-parenchymal liver cells and their use in investigating mechanisms of hepatotoxicity, cell signaling and ADME

This review encompasses the most important advances in liver functions and hepatotoxicity and analyzes which mechanisms can be studied in vitro. In a complex architecture of nested, zonated lobules, the liver consists of approximately 80 % hepatocytes and 20 % non-parenchymal cells, the latter being involved in a secondary phase that may dramatically aggravate the initial damage. Hepatotoxicity, as well as hepatic metabolism, is controlled by a set of nuclear receptors (including PXR, CAR, HNF-4α, FXR, LXR, SHP, VDR and PPAR) and signaling pathways. When isolating liver cells, some pathways are activated, e.g., the RAS/MEK/ERK pathway, whereas others are silenced (e.g. HNF-4α), resulting in up- and downregulation of hundreds of genes. An understanding of these changes is crucial for a correct interpretation of in vitro data. The possibilities and limitations of the most useful liver in vitro systems are summarized, including three-dimensional culture techniques, co-cultures with non-parenchymal cells, hepatospheres, precision cut liver slices and the isolated perfused liver. Also discussed is how closely hepatoma, stem cell and iPS cell-derived hepatocyte-like-cells resemble real hepatocytes. Finally, a summary is given of the state of the art of liver in vitro and mathematical modeling systems that are currently used in the pharmaceutical industry with an emphasis on drug metabolism, prediction of clearance, drug interaction, transporter studies and hepatotoxicity. One key message is that despite our enthusiasm for in vitro systems, we must never lose sight of the in vivo situation. Although hepatocytes have been isolated for decades, the hunt for relevant alternative systems has only just begun.

A multicellular 3D heterospheroid model of liver tumor and stromal cells in collagen gel for anti-cancer drug testing

Two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures are the standard in vitro model for cancer research. However, they fail to recapitulate the three-dimensional (3D) environment and quickly lose their function. In this study, we developed a new 3D multicellular heterospheroid tumor model in a collagen hydrogel culture system that more closely mimics the in vivo tumor microenvironment for anti-cancer drug testing. Three aspects of cancer were chosen to be modeled based on their ability to resist anti-cancer drugs: 3D, multicellularity, and extracellular matrix (ECM) barrier. The hanging drop method and co-culture of liver carcinoma with stromal fibroblasts were used to form controlled and uniform heterospheroids. These heterospheroids were then encapsulated in collagen gel in order to create a 3D model of liver cancer that would act more similarly to in vivo ECM conditions. The 3D heterospheroid tumor model was tested with an anti-cancer drug to determine how each of the above aspects affects drug resistance. The results demonstrate that the 3D heterospheroid model is more resistant to drug over 2D monolayer and homospheroid cultures, indicating stromal fibroblasts and collagen hydrogel culture system provides more resistance to anti-cancer drug. This study will provide useful information toward the development of improved biomimetic tumor models in vitro for cancer research in pre-clinical drug development.

Co-culture with mesenchymal stem cells enhances metabolic functions of liver cells in bioartificial liver system

Bioartificial liver provides a combination of three-dimensional support, matrix interactions, and extracellular cues to create a bio-mimic microenvironment for maintaining hepatic-specific functions of liver cells in vitro. However, its transformal and metabolic functions are not yet satisfactory for clinic application. In this study, hepatoma-derived C3A cells were co-cultured with human placental mesenchymal stem cells (hPMSC) in microspheres placed in a fluidized bioreactor. The secretion of albumin and urea, the expression of metabolizing enzymes at both transcriptional and translational levels and the drug metabolism functions of co-cultured C3A cells were determined. With the three-dimensional culture system, when C3A cells were co-cultured with hPMSCs in separate microspheres, the secretion of albumin and activity of CYP1A2 were significantly improved although the enhancement of urea synthesis and CYP3A4 activity was less prominent. Combining co-culture system with fluidization significantly increased the secretion of urea and the activities of CYP1A2, CYP3A4 but not the albumin synthesis. Interestingly, the levels of phospho-PKA (Thr 197), phospho-PKC, phospho-ERK1/2 (Thr 202/Tyr 204) and CaMKII were all found to decrease in co-cultured C3A cells, implicating suppressed signaling pathways in those cells. Taken together, our results suggest that co-culturing of liver cells with hPMSC cells in three-dimensional fluidized bioreactor significantly improved the preservation of liver cells' metabolic functions which may greatly enhance the efficacy of bioartificial liver treatment.

Functional 3-D cardiac co-culture model using bioactive chitosan nanofiber scaffolds

The in vitro generation of a three-dimensional (3-D) myocardial tissue-like construct employing cells, biomaterials, and biomolecules is a promising strategy in cardiac tissue regeneration, drug testing, and tissue engineering applications. Despite significant progress in this field, current cardiac tissue models are not yet able to stably maintain functional characteristics of cardiomyocytes for long-term culture and therapeutic purposes. The objective of this study was to fabricate bioactive 3-D chitosan nanofiber scaffolds using an electrospinning technique and exploring its potential for long-term cardiac function in the 3-D co-culture model. Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide biomaterial that is biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic, and cost effective. Electrospun chitosan was utilized to provide structural scaffolding characterized by scale and architectural resemblance to the extracellular matrix (ECM) in vivo. The chitosan fibers were coated with fibronectin via adsorption in order to enhance cellular adhesion to the fibers and migration into the interfibrous milieu. Ventricular cardiomyocytes were harvested from neonatal rats and studied in various culture conditions (i.e., mono- and co-cultures) for their viability and function. Cellular morphology and functionality were examined using immunofluorescent staining for alpha-sarcomeric actin (SM-actin) and gap junction protein, Connexin-43 (Cx43). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy were used to investigate cellular morphology, spatial organization, and contractions. Calcium indicator was used to monitor calcium ion flux of beating cardiomyocytes. The results demonstrate that the chitosan nanofibers retained their cylindrical morphology in long-term cell cultures and exhibited good cellular attachment and spreading in the presence of adhesion molecule, fibronectin. Cardiomyocyte mono-cultures resulted in loss of cardiomyocyte polarity and islands of non-coherent contractions. However, the cardiomyocyte-fibroblast co-cultures resulted in polarized cardiomyocyte morphology and retained their morphology and function for long-term culture. The Cx43 expression in the fibroblast co-culture was higher than the cardiomyocytes mono-culture and endothelial cells co-culture. In addition, fibroblast co-cultures demonstrated synchronized contractions involving large tissue-like cellular networks. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to test chitosan nanofiber scaffolds as a 3-D cardiac co-culture model. Our results demonstrate that chitosan nanofibers can serve as a potential scaffold that can retain cardiac structure and function. These studies will provide useful information to develop a strategy that allows us to generate engineered 3-D cardiac tissue constructs using biocompatible and biodegradable chitosan nanofiber scaffolds for many tissue engineering applications.

The non-invasive cell surface modification of hepatocytes with PEG-lipid derivatives

Hepatocyte-based therapies are promising regenerative approaches for liver diseases. In this study, we sought to develop a versatile method to modify the surface of hepatocytes by immobilizing synthetic polymers around the cells. The surface of murine primary hepatocytes was modified using poly(ethylene glycol)-phospholipids conjugate bearing FITC (FITC-PEG-lipid) in suspension. Hepatocyte function was assessed in vitro by examining cell viability, plating efficiency, protein production, metabolizing activity, hepatocyte-specific gene expressions, and cytochrome P450 induction. The engraftment of the PEG-lipid modified cells was studied following transplantation to both the liver or alternate ectopic sites. Among the types of phospholipids analyzed in our study, 1,2-dimyristoil -sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE) was found to be uniformly anchored to the hepatocyte cell membrane (>99% of hepatocytes). Cell surface modification using FITC-PEG-DMPE did not result in any loss of in vitro functional parameters nor affect the engraftment potential in vivo by the modified cells. This modification was also successfully performed on dispersed hepatocytes and engineered hepatocyte sheets. In all, the ability to modify the surface of isolated hepatocytes with functional proteins, instead of FITC as shown in our proof-of-concept study, has the potential to move hepatocyte-based cell therapy another step forward as a viable therapeutic application.

Hepatic differentiation from human embryonic stem cells using stromal cells

OBJECTIVE

The derivation of hepatocytes from human embryonic stem (hES) cells is of value both in the study of early human liver organogenesis and in the creation of an unlimited source of donor cells for hepatocyte transplantation therapy. Here, we report the generation of hepatocyte-like cells derived from hES cells.

METHODS

Hepatic endoderm cells were generated by adding activin A for 5 d- to 1-d-old embryoid bodies formed from hES cells. The hepatic endoderm cells were cocultured with mitomycin treated 3T3-J2 feeder cells.

RESULTS

After co-culture with mitomycin treated 3T3-J2 feeder cells, these hepatic endodermal cells yielded hepatocyte-like cell colonies, which possessed the proliferation potential to be cultured for an extended period of more than 30 d. With extensive expansion, they co-expressed the hepatic marker AFP and albumin, indicating that they were hepatocyte-like cells.

CONCLUSIONS

We report the generation of proliferative hepatocyte-like cells from hES cells. These hES cell derived hepatic cells can effectively be used as in vitro model for studying the mechanisms of hepatic stem/progenitor cell origin, self-renewal and differentiation.

Three-dimensional culture of hepatocytes on porcine liver tissue-derived extracellular matrix

There is currently no optimal system to expand and maintain the function of human adult hepatocytes in culture. Recent studies have demonstrated that specific tissue-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) can serve as a culture substrate and that cells tend to proliferate and differentiate best on ECM derived from their tissue of origin. The goal of this study was to investigate whether three-dimensional (3D) ECM derived from porcine liver can facilitate the growth and maintenance of physiological functions of liver cells. Optimized decellularization/oxidation procedures removed up to 93% of the cellular components from porcine liver tissue and preserved key molecular components in the ECM, including collagen-I, -III, and -IV, proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, fibronectin, elastin, and laminin. When HepG2 cells or human hepatocytes were seeded onto ECM discs, uniform multi-layer constructs of both cell types were formed. Dynamic culture conditions yielded better cellular infiltration into the ECM discs. Human hepatocytes cultured on ECM discs expressed significantly higher levels of albumin over a 21-day culture period compared to cells cultured in traditional polystyrene cultureware or in a collagen gel "sandwich". The culture of hepatocytes on 3D liver-specific ECM resulted in considerably improved cell growth and maintained cell function; therefore, this system could potentially be used in liver tissue regeneration, drug discovery or toxicology studies.

Metabolic profiling based quantitative evaluation of hepatocellular metabolism in presence of adipocyte derived extracellular matrix

The elucidation of the effect of extracellular matrices on hepatocellular metabolism is critical to understand the mechanism of functional upregulation. We have developed a system using natural extracellular matrices [Adipogel] for enhanced albumin synthesis of rat hepatocyte cultures for a period of 10 days as compared to collagen sandwich cultures. Primary rat hepatocytes isolated from livers of female Lewis rats recover within 4 days of culture from isolation induced injury while function is stabilized at 7 days post-isolation. Thus, the culture period can be classified into three distinct stages viz. recovery stage [day 0–4], pre-stable stage [day 5–7] and the stable stage [day 8–10]. A Metabolic Flux Analysis of primary rat hepatocytes cultured in Adipogel was performed to identify the key metabolic pathways modulated as compared to collagen sandwich cultures. In the recovery stage [day 4], the collagen-soluble Adipogel cultures shows an increase in TriCarboxylic Acid [TCA] cycle fluxes; in the pre-stable stage [day 7], there is an increase in PPP and TCA cycle fluxes while in the stable stage [day 10], there is a significant increase in TCA cycle, urea cycle fluxes and amino acid uptake rates concomitant with increased albumin synthesis rate as compared to collagen sandwich cultures throughout the culture period. Metabolic analysis of the collagen-soluble Adipogel condition reveals significantly higher transamination reaction fluxes, amino acid uptake and albumin synthesis rates for the stable vs. recovery stages of culture. The identification of metabolic pathways modulated for hepatocyte cultures in presence of Adipogel will be a useful step to develop an optimization algorithm to further improve hepatocyte function for Bioartificial Liver Devices. The development of this framework for upregulating hepatocyte function in Bioartificial Liver Devices will facilitate the utilization of an integrated experimental and computational approach for broader applications of Adipogel in tissue e engineering and regenerative medicine.

Microprinted feeder cells guide embryonic stem cell fate

We introduce a non-contact approach to microprint multiple types of feeder cells in a microarray format using immiscible aqueous solutions of two biopolymers. Droplets of cell suspension in the denser aqueous phase are printed on a substrate residing within a bath of the immersion aqueous phase. Due to their affinity to the denser phase, cells remain localized within the drops and adhere to regions of the substrate underneath the drops. We show the utility of this technology for creating duplex heterocellular stem cell niches by printing two different support cell types on a gel surface and overlaying them with mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). As desired, the type of printed support cell spatially direct the fate of overlaid mESCs. Interestingly, we found that interspaced mESCs colonies on differentiation-inducing feeder cells show enhanced neuronal differentiation and give rise to dense networks of neurons. This cell printing technology provides unprecedented capabilities to efficiently identify the role of various feeder cells in guiding the fate of stem cells.

Merging bioreactor technology with 3D hepatocyte-fibroblast culturing approaches: Improved in vitro models for toxicological applications

During the last years an increasing number of in vitro models have been developed for drug screening and toxicity testing. Primary cultures of hepatocytes are, by far, the model of choice for those high-throughput studies but their spontaneous dedifferentiation after some time in culture hinders long-term studies. Thus, novel cell culture systems allowing extended hepatocyte maintenance and more predictive long term in vitro studies are required. It has been shown that hepatocytes functionality can be improved and extended in time when cultured as 3D-cell aggregates in environmental controlled stirred bioreactors. In this work, aiming at further improving hepatocytes functionality in such 3D cellular structures, co-cultures with fibroblasts were performed. An inoculum concentration of 1.2×10(5) cell/mL and a 1:2 hepatocyte:mouse embryonic fibroblast ratio allowed to improve significantly the albumin secretion rate and both ECOD (phase I) and UGT (phase II) enzymatic activities in 3D co-cultures, as compared to the routinely used 2D hepatocyte monocultures. Significant improvements were also observed in relation to 3D monocultures of hepatocytes. Furthermore, hepatocytes were able to respond to the addition of beta-Naphtoflavone by increasing ECOD activity showing CYP1A inducibility. The dependence of CYP activity on oxygen concentration was also observed. In summary, the improved hepatocyte specific functions during long term incubation of 3D co-cultures of hepatocytes with fibroblasts indicate that this system is a promising in vitro model for long term toxicological studies.