Study on implantable artificial liver

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The hybrid-typed artificial liver composed of hepatocytes and polymer matrices has been increasingly notad as a new therapeutic trial of acute liver failure. The encapsulation technology of hepatocytes by polymer hydrogels will prevent the cells from allogeneically or xenogeneically immune attack, allowing their metabolic functions to perform in the recipients. However, little has been reported on the physicochemical prooerties of polymer materials themselves although they may provide an informative suggestion for cell encapsulation. The present research was undertaken to obtain basic knowledge about the hydrogel materials applicable for artificial liver. The polyion complex membrane composed of sodium alginate and poly (allyl amine) (PAA) was selected since the cell encapsulation can be achieved under mild conditions, e.g.at 37ﾟC in aqueous solution. The water content and mechanical strength of the membrane or its permeability of proeteins, albumin and immunoglobulim, were similar to those of aliginate-poly (L-lysine) polyion complex membrane which has been widely used for hepatocye encapsulation. However, a big difference in the viability of rat hepatocytes was observed before and after their encapsulation process. It was found that the viability decrease was responsible for the contact of cells with calcium ions which is a necessary process for cell encapsulation. This indicates that it is important to make the contact time as short as possible for cell encapsulation.