Transplantation of isolated hepatocytes in the liver of analbuminemic rats

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Transplantation of isolated hepatocytes in the part of the body will be applicable to the therapy of patients with severe liver damage or genetic metabolic disorders. Although the hepatocytes have been reported to be transplantable in the spleen, subcutaneous tissue, intraocular space, etc., the liver is considered to be the most suitable place for transplantation because hepatotrophic factors present in the portal flow will provide appropriate environment for the hepatocytes. In this project, we transplanted normal hepatocytes within the liver of analbuminemic rats and investigated the fate of transplanted hepatocytes by immunohistochemical staining of rat albumin.Hepatocytes were isolated from the liver of SB rats by collagenase perfusion method. Then 2 x 10^6 hepatocytes were infused into the portal vein of NAR which had received 2/3 partial hepatectomy. Various periods after infusion, the liver was perfusion-fixed and immunostained using an anti rat-albumin antibody.At 2h, although the most infused hepatocytes were aggregated within the portal vein, a small number of hepatocytes were observed within the sinusoids. These cells were nearly spherical in shape and poorly attached to the sinusoidal wall. At 6h, the transplanted hepatocytes partly attaached to the host hepatocytes where the cytoplasmic processes of the sinusoidal endothelial cells were partly deleted. At 12h, the transplanted cells were completely incorporated within the host hepatic cords and organized within the host hepatic tissue.The results showed that the hepatocytes infused in the portal vein are readily incorporated and organized within the host liver.