THE PREPARATION OF FRUCTOSE-MODIFIED CHITOSAN MICROCARRIERS AND CULTURE OF PRIMARY RAT HEPATOCYTES

1. INTRODUCTION The development of cell based organs and tissue-engineering devices such as hybrid artificial liver requires a large number of cells be cultured for the replacement of damaged tissue 1,2]. Since its introduction in 1967, microcarriers culture has been applied successfully in growing primary cells and cell lines with the advantage of attaining high cell density 3,4]. Spheroid culture is another promising hepatocytes culture method to enhance the cell density and metaboli…

THE PREPARATION OF FRUCTOSE-MODIFIED CHITOSAN MICROCARRIERS AND CULTURE OF PRIMARY RAT HEPATOCYTES

The fructose modified chitosan microcarries (CMs) were prepared by the reaction of glutaraldehyde with fructose-modified chitosan. Various factors that influence the preparation were studied and the reaction conditions were optimized. Morphology of rat hepatocytes cultured on CMs was observed using phase contrast microscope and scanning electron microscope, and the metabolic activities were measured. Rat hepatocytes cultured on CMs retained the spherical shape as they have in vivo and had high metabolic activities. Fructose can enhance the metabolic activity of hepatocytes and the modified CMs are promising scaffold for hepatocytes attachment.