• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2000

Cell-Cell interaction and the extracellular matrix (ECM) are belisved to play essential roles during in vitro culturing of primary hepatocytes in the control of differentiation and in the maintenance of tissue spcific functions. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of degree of cell-cell contact (DCC) on liver sperific function of rat promary hepatocytes. Hepatocyte aggregates with various with various degrees of cell-cell contantact, I. e., dispersed cell, longish aggregate, rugged aggregate, and smooth spheroid were obtained at 1, 5-6, 15-20, and 36-48 hrs, respectively in suspension cultures grown in spinner flasks embedded in Caalginate bead and collagen gel in order. The may result from mass transfer limitation and shear damage caused by agitation during aggregation. The rugged aggregate showed a higer viability and albumin secretion rate than the dispersed cells or the other aggregates. This result indicates the possible enhancement of a bioartificial liver's (BAL) performance using primary hepatocytes and the reduction in time to prepare a BAL through optimization of the immobilization time.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2003

To analyze vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase in liver cells, rat hepatocytes were isolated and attached to collagen-coated cover slips. Using fura-2, a $Ca^{2+}$-sensing dye, changes in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration by vasopressin were monitored. Results in this communication suggested that vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase were composed of both $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal $Ca^{2+}$ stores and influx from the plasma membrane. The $Ca^{2+}$ influx consisted of two distinguishable components. One was dependent on the presence of vasopressin and the other was not. SK＆F96365 blocked vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ influx in a dose-dependent manner. Vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores diminished in a primary culture of hepatocytes according to the culture time. However, changes in vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ influx across the plasma membrane differed from changes in the $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores, suggesting two separate signalings from receptor activation to internal stores and to the plasma membrane.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.1057-1065
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• 1999

The study was designated to investigate the electron microscopic findings following diethylnitrosamine (DEN) treatment in rats. Forty four male (Srague Dawley) rats were continuously given water containing 0.01% DEN for 13 weeks and livers of five rats with more tumor lesions at 16 and 17 weeks after initial treatment were used as EM materials. In transmission electron microscopic findings, most small-sized hepatocytes were active cells containing large mount of organelles, but light (pale staining) hepatocytes among small-sized hepatocytes were injured cells containg disorganized organelles. Tumor cells among small-sized hepatocytes were irregularly arranged and have pleomorphic nuclei containing electron dense chromatin but the organelles in cytoplasm were swelled. Large-sized hepatocytes were active cells with condensed chromatin but the cytoplasm of these cells were pale due to be injured and dilated organelles. Dark hepatocytes were apoptotic cells with homogenous pyknotic nuclei and cytoplasm, and the cytoplasm of these cells contained dilated smooth endoplasmic reticulum (sER) but these sER were non-vesiculated. Cholangiocarninoma cells were crowded and were pale by far less number of organelles in cytoplasm and nuclei. In scanning electron microscopic findings, the lumens of portal veins, bile canaliculi, bile ductules, bile ducts and sinusoids were dilated and have irregular folded inner surface by protruded parenchyma.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.410-414
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• 2003

The effect of treatment with pine needle oil complex (complex of pine needle oil and Korean medicinal herbs) upon rat hepatocytes exposed to alcohol was investigated. We compared body weight gain and ratios of liver and kidney to body weight and the serum biochemistry of rats administered both alcohol and Pine needle oil complex to control rats treated with alcohol alone. Pine needle oil complex treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and triglycerides (TG) compared to the control rats. These data suggest that Pine needle oil complex represents an excellent candidate for protection of rat hepatocytes from alcohol-mediated damage.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.299-308
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• 2000

This study was performed to elucidate the effects of Gokajisilsosiho-Tang(GJST) on the lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) release, cell viability and activity, lipid peroxidation, DNA synthesis and the changes of total protein synthesis and GSH changes in vivo and in vitro in rat cultured hepatocytes from hydrogen peroxide$(H_2O_2)$-induced injury. The GJST extract had not an effect on cytotoxicity in all experimental results. The treatment of GJST extract of $160{\mu}g/ml$, $320{\mu}g/ml$ showed the significant effect to decrease LDH leakage induced by t-BHP in cultured rat hepatocytes. The higher concentration of GJST extract than $160{\mu}g/ml$, showed the inhibitory effect on decreasing cell viability induced by t-BHP. The treatment of t-BHP to rat cultured hepatocytes resulted in a concentration dependent increase in TBARS, in the presence of GJST extract the production of TBARS induced by hydrogen peroxide was inhibited concentration dependently, significantly inhibited at $80{\mu}g/ml$ of GJST extract and above. The GJST extract simutaneously present with t-BHP prevented the loss of total protein and GSH in a concentration dependent manner. These results suggested that GJST extract may play a hepatoprotective role in oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide and a therapeutic potential of inhibiting liver injury.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.474-478
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• 1999

Modulation of unscheduled DNA synthesis by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) after exposure to various chemical carcinogens was investigated in the primary rat hepatocytes. Unscheduled DNA synthesis was induced by treatment of such direct acting carcinogens as methly methanesulfonate (MMS) and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) or procarcinogens including benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). Unscheduled DNA synthesis was determined by measuring [methyl-3H]thymidine radioactivity incorporated into nuclear DNA of hepatocytes treated with carcinogens in the presence or absence of DHEA. Hydroxyurea $(5{\times}10^{-3} M)$was added to growth medium to selectively suppress normal replication. DHEA at concentrations ranging from $(1{\times}10^{-6} M)$ to$(5{\times}10^{-4} M)$ did not significantly inhibit unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by either MMS $(1{\times}10^{-4} M)$ or EMS $(1{\times}10^{-2} M)$. In contrast, DHEA-significantly inhibited unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by BaP $(6.5{\times}10^{-5} M)$ and DMBA.$(2{\times}10^{-5} M)$. DHEA-induced hepatotoxicity in rats was examined using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release as an indicator of cytotoxicity. DHEA exhibit no significant increase in LDH release compared with the control at 18 h. These data suggest that nontoxic concentration of DHEA does not affect the DNA excision repair process, but it probably influence the enzymatic system responsible for the metabolic activation of procarcinogens and thereby decreases the amount of the effective DNA adducts formed by the ultimate reactive carcinogenic species.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2001

Effects of Taeumjowetang on Lipid Peroxidation by Free Radicals and Oxidative Damage of Hepatocytes by tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide. 1. Purpose The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant effects of Taeumjowetang in vitro. 2. Methods In this study, antioxidant effects of TJT on lipid peroxidation were determined according to the method of TBA. (Abbreviation) TJT : Taeumjowetang, TBA : 2-thiobarbituric acid. 3. Results : 1) TJT inhibited markedly peroxidation of linoleic acid during the autoxidation. 2) TJT inhibited lipid peroxidation induced by hydroxyl radical derived from H2O2-Fe2+ in rat liver homogenate. 3) TJT showed 66% scavenging effect on DPPH radical. 4) TJT exhibited a 25% inhibitory effect on superoxide generation from xanthine-xan thine oxidase system. 5) To investigate the antioxidative effects of TJT on the hepatocytes, cultured normal rat liver cells(Ac2F) were prepared and incubated with or without TJT. After 16~18hr, cells placed in DMEM medium without serum, and then incubated with 1mM t-BHP for 2hr. Viable cells were detected by MTT assay. In this test, TJT protected the cell death induced by t-BHP and significantly increased cell viability in the normal rat liver cell. (Abbreviation) DPPH : ${\alpha},{\alpha}$-diphenyl-${\beta}$-picryl hydrazyl, DMEM : Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium, t-BHP : terr-butyl hydroperoxide, 4. Conclusion These results suggested that TJT might play a protective role in lipid peroxidation by free radicals.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 1991

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.45-45
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• 1991

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.55-55
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• 1998