Rat Liver Perfusion and Primary Hepatocytes Isolation: An Old Procedure Crucial for Cutting-Edge 3D Organoids Culture

Primary hepatocytes are a commonly used tool for in vitro liver-related studies. However, the maintenance of these cells has always been a challenge due to the rapid loss of morphology, viability, and functionality in culture. A recent approach to long-term culture is the generation of three-dimensional (3D) organoids, an in vitro tool that can recapitulate tissues in a dish based on the marvelous ability of the liver to regenerate itself. Published protocols have been designed to obtain long-term functional 3D organoids from primary adult hepatocytes (Hep-Orgs). The 3D organoid cutting-edge tool requires the ability to isolate cells from adult tissue, and this initial step is crucial for a high-quality final result. The two-step collagenase perfusion, introduced in the 1970s, is still a valid procedure to obtain single hepatocytes. The present article aims to describe all the crucial steps of the surgical procedure, thereby optimizing the primary hepatocytes isolation procedure in the rat model. Moreover, particular attention is paid to the PREPARE guidelines to increase the likelihood of successful procedures and ensure high-quality results. A detailed protocol allows researchers to speed up and optimize the downstream work to establish 3D organoids from primary adult rat hepatocytes. Compared to 2D hepatocytes, Hep-Orgs were still viable and in active proliferation at Day 15, demonstrating a long-term potential.