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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
An All-Human Hepatic Culture System for Drug Development Applications
Published on: October 20, 2023
Development and characterization of a small-scale bioreactor based on a bioartificial hepatic culture model for
Stephanie Schmitmeier1, Angelika Langsch, Inka Jasmund
1Biotechnological-Biomedical Center, Cell Techniques and Applied Stem Cell Biology, University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. stephaine.schmitmeier@bbz.uni-leipzig.de
Abstract:
A vast majority of pharmacons are beset by possible interactions and side effects which have usually been tested in laboratory animals. However, better methods are needed to reduce the number of animal experiments and interspecies differences with respect to drug metabolism, as well as to provide a faster and more cost-effective way of analysis. These facts have led to the development of in vitro models based on isolated primary hepatocytes to better assess drug metabolism, interactions, and toxicity. A new small-scale bioreactor with the hepatic sandwich model and a gas-permeable membrane at the bottom allowing a definable oxygen exchange, has been constructed and compared with the conventional well plates. Compared to hepatocytes cultured in conventional systems, the cells exhibited a stronger liver-specific capacity and remained in a differentiated state in the small-scale bioreactor over a cultivation period of 17 days. This in vitro model could serve as a tool to predict the liver response to newly developed drugs.
