Transplanted hepatocytes and collagen hydrogel units subcutaneously establish engineered hepatic tissue

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2015.43.009

Abstract

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Collagen hydrogel provides good matrix support for hepatocyte growth and tissue reconstruction, and the collagen-based engineered tissue is easy to merge the growth and form integrated tissue.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the thickness of engineered hepatic tissue by dissociating hepatocytes/collagen hydrogel composite into small hepatic units that accumulate in the subcutaneous cavity.

METHODS: Freshly isolated hepatocytes from rats were mixed with collagen hydrogel to establish hepatocytes/collagen hydrogel composite. The hepatocytes/collagen hydrogel composite was dissociated into small hepatic units after being cured. The undissociated hepatocytes/collagen hydrogel composite was taken as a control. Six Spraque-Dawley rats were enrolled. Three of them were subjected to a two-thirds partial hepatectomy to induce liver regeneration. Dissociated and undissociated hepatocytes/collagen hydrogel composites were implanted into the bilateral inguinal subcutaneous cavity. Dissociated and undissociated hepatocytes/collagen hydrogel composites were implanted into the bilateral inguinal subcutaneous cavity of the other three rats. At the 7^th day after transplantation, engineered hepatic tissue formation was evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemical staining and India ink perfusion methods.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The grafts in these two groups all formed vascular engineered hepatic tissue in the subcutaneous cavity, but after the small hepatic units merged, a large piece of vascular engineered hepatic tissue formed. The hepatic tissue thickness was up to 4 mm. The whole piece of implanted liver grafts only formed small pieces of hepatic tissues, with only several layers of cells. Immunohistochemistry staining confirmed that the hepatocytes in vascular engineered hepatic tissue had the characteristics and functions of natural hepatocytes. Partial hepatectomy experiment showed that engineered hepatic tissue had the ability to respond to regenerative stimulus of partial hepatectomy. These results show that dissociating the hepatocytes/collagen hydrogel grafts into small units that accumlate in the subcutaneous cavity can increase the thickness of the engineered hepatic tissue.

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：生物材料；骨生物材料; 口腔生物材料; 纳米材料; 缓释材料; 材料相容性；组织工程

Key words: Tissue Engineering, Hepatocytes, Collagen, Hydrogel

Li Ze-xue, Zhang Lan, Liang Wen-tao, Liang Kai, Wei Bo. Transplanted hepatocytes and collagen hydrogel units subcutaneously establish engineered hepatic tissue[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2015, 19(43): 6935-6939.

Figures/Tables 3

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