Preparation and characterization of chitosan porous microcarriers for hepatocyte culture  

作　　者：Xu-Bo Wu, Cheng-Hong Peng, Fang Huang, Jie Kuang, Song-Lin Yu, Ya-Dong Dong and Bao-San Han Center of Organ Transplantation, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China Department of General Surgery, Central Hospital, Minhang District, Shanghai 201100, China 

出　　处：《Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases International》2011年第5期509-515,共7页国际肝胆胰疾病杂志（英文版）

基　　金：supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30672043, 30772105);the National 863 program of China (2008AA02Z417)

摘　　要：BACKGROUND: The bioartificial liver (BAL) is considered a possible alternative method for treating liver failure. The core of the BAL system is culturing liver cells in vitro with high density and activity. Microcarrier culture is a mode of high-density culture. We set out to prepare a novel porous microcarrier to improve the activity of liver cells in vitro. METHODS: Chitosan was used to prepare a novel porous spherical microcarrier with interconnected structure. The chitosan porous microcarriers (CPMs) were modified with gelatin to improve their biocompatibility. CPMs were co-cultured with liver cells, HL-7702 (L-02), to evaluate their effect on cell culture. RESULTS: The average size of the CPMs was about 400 μm in diameter and their apertures were less than 30 μm. The pores of the microcarrier were interconnected. After fixation by sodium tripolyphosphate, the structure of the first freeze-dried CPMs was stable. To further improve the biocompatibility, the surface of CPMs was modified with gelatin through chemical crosslinking (GM-CPMs). Comparing the proliferation curves of L-02 cells cultured on simple CPMs, GM-CPMs and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS, a mode of planar cell culture), the proliferation rates were similar in the first 5 days and the cells proliferated until day 8 in culture with microcarriers. The OD value of liver cells cultured on GM-CPMs was 1.97-fold higher than that on TCPS culture at day 8. Levels of urea and albumin in supernatants of cells cultured on GM-CPMs increased steadily for 8 days, and were clearly higher than those of cells cultured on TCPS (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: The novel CPMs were promising microcarriers for hepatocyte culture and the GM-CPM seemed better. Porous microcarrier culture was beneficial for hepatocyte function and activity.BACKGROUND: The bioartificial liver (BAL) is considered a possible alternative method for treating liver failure. The core of the BAL system is culturing liver cells in vitro with high density and activity. Microcarrier culture is a mode of high-density culture. We set out to prepare a novel porous microcarrier to improve the activity of liver cells in vitro. METHODS: Chitosan was used to prepare a novel porous spherical microcarrier with interconnected structure. The chitosan porous microcarriers (CPMs) were modified with gelatin to improve their biocompatibility. CPMs were co-cultured with liver cells, HL-7702 (L-02), to evaluate their effect on cell culture. RESULTS: The average size of the CPMs was about 400 μm in diameter and their apertures were less than 30 μm. The pores of the microcarrier were interconnected. After fixation by sodium tripolyphosphate, the structure of the first freeze-dried CPMs was stable. To further improve the biocompatibility, the surface of CPMs was modified with gelatin through chemical crosslinking (GM-CPMs). Comparing the proliferation curves of L-02 cells cultured on simple CPMs, GM-CPMs and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS, a mode of planar cell culture), the proliferation rates were similar in the first 5 days and the cells proliferated until day 8 in culture with microcarriers. The OD value of liver cells cultured on GM-CPMs was 1.97-fold higher than that on TCPS culture at day 8. Levels of urea and albumin in supernatants of cells cultured on GM-CPMs increased steadily for 8 days, and were clearly higher than those of cells cultured on TCPS (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: The novel CPMs were promising microcarriers for hepatocyte culture and the GM-CPM seemed better. Porous microcarrier culture was beneficial for hepatocyte function and activity.

关 键 词：porous microcarrier CHITOSAN gelatin  liver cells cell culture 

分 类 号：R575.3[医药卫生—消化系统]