Objective To investigate the feasibility of fetal liver cells for liver tissue engineering, the supporting function of poly L lactic acid (PLLA) scaffold for fetal liver cells and the effects of oncostatin M (OSM), nicotinamide (NA) and dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) on growth and hepatic differentiation. Methods After three dimensional PLLA scaffolds having a porous structure were prepared by using NH 4HCO 3 particle, fetal liver cells obtained from E14.5 C57BL/6CrSlc murine embryos were inoculated in the scaffolds. Cells were cultured in Williams’E medium with or without OSM, NA and DMSO for 30 days. Changes in cell number, liver-specific function, and cellular morphology were observed. Results When compared with in monolayer culture, cell number and albumin secretion increased obviously in three-dimensional PLLA. Alburmin secretion increased slightly in OSM group of monolayer culture, but increased obviously in OSM groupo of PLLA culture and in OSM/NA/DMSO group of both monlayer and PLLA cultures. Conclusion The three-dimensional PLLA scaffold is a good supporting material for the cultivation of tetal liver cells. OSM, NA and DMSO remarkaly stimulated maturation of hepatic parenchymal cells in vitro in terms of morphology and liver-specific function.
This study aims to explore the effects of alginate-poly ornithine-alginate (A-PLO-A) and barium alginate-poly ornithine-alginate (B-PLO-A) microcapsules as cells carriers during implantation. Mice hepatocytes coated in A-PLO-A and B-PLO-A microcapsules were implanted into rats with acute liver failure caused by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine. The rat survival rate, liver cell growth, proliferation and metabolism within the microcapsules were investigated, as well as its effect on the improvement of rat acute liver failure. The influence of A-PLO-A-free microcapsules, B-PLO-A-free microcapsules, isolated liver cells, A-PLO-A microcapsule-coated and B-PLO-A microcapsule-coated liver cells was studied. It was found that the chemical-free microcapsules showed no positive effect on the rats with liver failures, with a death rate of 100% in both groups 3 days after the implantation. The ALT, AST and ALB levels were all improved in the isolated liver cell group, the A-PLO-A microcapsule-coated and the B-PLO-A microcapsule-coated groups. The survival rate of both microcapsule-coated liver cell groups was significantly higher than that of the chemical-free microcapsule group and the isolated liver cells group. The microcapsules were retrieved after 4 weeks' implantation, which were observed to be smooth with no cells attaching to the surface. No apparent fibrosis was observed. This research demonstrated the physical stability and the biocompatibility of the PLO-based alginate microcapsules and therefore they could be used as liver cell carriers during implantation.