Functional integrity of isolated rat hepatocytes prepared by whole liver vs biopsy perfusion

Isolated rat hepatocytes prepared by a newly developed, versatile biopsy perfusion method (HB cells) were compared with hepatocytes prepared by conventional whole liver perfusion (HP cells), immediately after isolation and after 6 h in suspension culture. Thirteen parameters were used to assess the functional integrity of these cells. Both methods produced high yields of metabolically active hepatocytes that were virtually indistinguishable from each other. After 6 h, the average viability of both cell isolates declined approximately 10%, mixed function oxidase activities were decreased approximately 25% at most, and GSH levels were actually increased; other parameters were not significantly changed. The data indicate that HB-cell isolates are at least as viable and metabolically active as HP cells, and, because the biopsy perfusion method can be applied to liver samples from any species, it facilitates comparative studies.