Culture of isolated rat hepatocytes after prolonged storage on ice--a better use of cell resources

Assessment of the Functional Integrity of Hepatocytes: A Brief Review

A variety of approaches to assessment of cellular integrity exist, based on tests of integrity of the plasma membrane, tests of metabolic competence, and asessment of morphology. By definition, such approaches address different aspects of cellular integrity and hence are not interchangeable indices of cellular integrity. Accordingly, it would be most appropriate to characterise hepatocyte preparations on the basis of more than just trypan blue dye exclusion (a test of plasma membrane integrity) as is customary. A scheme for the choice of the most appropriate mix of tests of cellular integrity is presented.

Viability, attachment efficiency, and xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities are well maintained in EDTA isolated rat liver parenchymal cells after hypothermic preservation for up to 3 days in University of Wisconsin solution

Rat liver parenchymal cells were isolated by EDTA perfusion and were subsequently purified by Percoll centrifugation. The freshly isolated liver cells had a mean viability of 95% as judged by trypan blue exclusion. Isolated liver parenchymal cells were then stored at 0 degrees C for up to 1 wk in University of Wisconsin solution (UW). During this hypothermic preservation, the viability was only slightly reduced to 92% after 1 d and to 85% after 3 d at 0 degrees C. Thereafter, the viability decreased rapidly. After cold storage for up to 3 d, it was possible to use the parenchymal liver cells either in short-term suspension or in cell culture. The attachment efficiency in cell culture was the same for freshly isolated liver cells (84%) and after 2 d cold preservation (81%). The cytochrome P450 content and the enzyme activities of soluble epoxide hydrolase, UDP-glucuronosyl transferase, phenol sulfotransferase, and glutathione S-transferase were not significantly different between freshly isolated cells and cells after 3 d of hypothermic preservation. Furthermore, freshly isolated and intact liver cells stored for 3 d were used in the cell-mediated Salmonella mutagenicity test as a metabolizing system. Both fresh and stored liver parenchymal cells metabolized benzo(a)pyrene,2-aminoanthracene, and cyclophosphamide to their ultimate mutagens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)