[Study on the biologic function of extracorporeal bioartificial liver support system]

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Hepatology
• Regenerative Medicine

Context:

• Liver failure necessitates innovative therapeutic strategies.
• Bioartificial liver support systems (EBLSS) offer a potential solution by mimicking liver functions.
• Previous EBLSS designs faced challenges in maintaining cell viability and function.

Purpose:

• To develop and evaluate a novel EBLSS utilizing aggregate spheroid-cultured human liver cells within a hollow fiber bioreactor.
• To assess the functional capacity of the EBLSS by analyzing key liver-specific protein and metabolite production.
• To determine the effect of the EBLSS on the proliferation of hepatocytes.

Summary:

• A total of 2 x 10^8 hepatocytes and nonparenchymal liver cells were cultured as aggregate spheroids and integrated into a hollow fiber bioreactor to create the EBLSS.
• After 6 hours of circulation, the EBLSS demonstrated significant production of total protein, albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, and urea in the circulating media.
• Hepatocyte DNA synthesis was significantly increased in the media conditioned by the EBLSS, indicating a stimulatory effect on cell proliferation (P < 0.01).

Impact:

• The developed EBLSS exhibits crucial biological functions of the liver, including synthesis and detoxification.
• The system demonstrates a potent stimulatory effect on hepatocyte proliferation, suggesting potential for liver regeneration.
• This study validates the feasibility of using spheroid-cultured human liver cells in a hollow fiber bioreactor for EBLSS applications.