• Macromolecular Research
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.488-494
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• 2003

We have fabricated gelatin-immobilized polyurethane foams (PUFG) by dipping polyurethane foam (PUF) in an aqueous solution containing gelatin and by subsequent reaction with glutaraldehyde after freeze-drying. Gelatin aqueous solutions of different concentrations were used as the dipping solutions to control the amount of immobilized gelatin. The average pore size of PUF decreased with an increase in gelatin concentration. It was found from the hepatocyte adhesion experiment that the amount of hepatocytes seeded on PUFG1, prepared by using a 1% aqueous gelatin solution, was higher than that on other PUFGs. The hepatocytes inoculated in PUFG1, were slightly aggregated as the incubation time increased. The cells inoculated in PUFG1 showed higher ammonia removal ability than those monolayer-cultured on a gelatin-immobilized polystyrene dish (PSG) after 1 and 4 days of incubation time. The inoculated cells exhibited higher albumin secretion relative to monolayer-cultured hepatocytes on PSG. Albumin secretion by hepatocytes seeded on PUFG1 was increased by the presence of serum and was further increased by both the presence of serum and cytokines. The results obtained from a 3-(3,4-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that PUFG can provide a better microenvironment for hepatocyte culture along with nutrition and metabolite transfer through the high porosity of PUF.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.251-257
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• 2002

Effects of bisphenol-A (BPA) on vitellogenin (VTG) synthesis and estrogen-estrogen receptor $(E_2- ER)$ binding activity were examined in primary hepatocyte cultures of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Hepatocytes were precultured for 2 days and then $estradiol-17\beta\;(E_2,\;2\times10^{-6}M)\;BPA\;(10^{-5}-10^{-8}M)$ and/or 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen $(4-OHT,\;10^{-6} M)$ were simultaneously added to the incubation medium. Hepatocytes were cultured for 5 more days and then spent medium was analyzed by SDS-PAGE for VTG production. The addition of BPA to the incubation medium had no effect on the viability of hepatocytes in the culture. On the other hand, BPA increased VTG production in a concentration-dependent way and a significant increment occurred at BPA concentrations greater than $10^{-6}$M. Although VTG was increased by the addition of $E_2\;(2\times10^{-6}\;M)\;or\;BPA\;(10^{-5}M)$, its were reduced by a simultaneous 4-OHT $(10^{-6}\;M)$ addition. BPA inhibited $E_2-human$ ER binding activity by $72\%$ at $10^{-5}$ M of BPA. These results suggested that BPA induced VTG synthesis by BPA-ER binding activity in the hepatocyte of rainbow trout.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.413-420
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• 2004

The objectives of present study were to investigate the effects of benzo[a]pyrene(BaP) on cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in rat hepatocyte primary culture. Primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were incubated for 24 hr, 48 hr or 72 hr in the presence of various concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30, 50 or 100 $\mu.$ M) of BaP. Cytotoxicity and cell viability were determined by measuring glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT) activity, lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) activity and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide(MIT) value. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated using thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) assay. Effects on antioxidant system were determined by measuring glutathione peroxidase(GPx) activity, glutathione reductase(GR) activity and glutathione concentration. Activities of GOT and LDH, MTT value as well as TBARS concentration were not affected by up to 100 $\muM$ of BaP for 24 hr incubation. However, BaP at the concentration of 50 $\muM$ for 48 hr incubation or at the concentration of 30 $\muM$ for 72 hr incubation began to increase LDH activity and TBARS concentration but decrease MTT value, representing that BaP caused cytotoxicity and decreased cell viability in dose- and time-dependent manners. GPx activity began to be decreased by BaP at the concentration of 50 $\muM$ for 72 hr incubation. Whereas, GR activity began to be decreased by BaP at the concentration of 20 $\muM$ for 72 hr incubation. Glutathione concentration began to be decreased by BaP at the concentration of 20 $\muM$ for 72 hr incubation and was further reduced to 90% by 100 $\muM$ of BaP. These results demonstrate that BaP caused cytoctoxicity and decreased cell viability by increasing lipid peroxidation and decreasing glutathione concentration as well as activities of GPx and GR.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.191-203
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• 1992

The immunosuppressive effects of safrole were studied in female BALB/c mouse. Mice were given 100,200and 400mg safrole/kg daily for 14days and evaluated on day 15. The day 4 immunogloblin-M antibody response to T-dependent antigen, sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was inhibited dose-dependently in all doses studied. In vitro antibody response to polyclonal antigen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by spleen cell suspensions from safrole-treated mice were also significantly inhibited. When safrole was treated for 14days to mice, and mitogen-induced proliferation of splenocytes were assayed on day 15, there were significant suppression of responses to B-cell mitogen, LPS and T-cell mitogen concanavalin A(Con A) at a dose of 400mg safrole/kg. Direct addition of safrole on the splenocyte culture also produced a dose dependent suppression on in vitro antibody response to LPS, and mitogen-induced lymphoproliferatin at doses of 100,200,400 and 800${\mu}M$ safrole. The role of metabolic activation in safrole-induced suppression of in vitro antibody response was studied using splenocyte-hepatocyte coculture system. The suppression of in vitro antibody respose to LPS by safrole was not altered when safrole were incubated in the splenocyte-hepatocyte system for 4hr as compared with direct addition of safrole in splenocytes culture. Neither the addition of salicylamide, sulfotransferase inhibitor, nor the addation of inorganic sulfate, sulfation cofactor to the splenocyte-hepatocyte coculture, altered the suppression of antibody response by safrole. These results suggest that the immunosuppression by safrole may not by produced by the reactive metabolites which are mediated in carcinogenesis of safrole.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.247-265
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• 2008

Objectives: Many types of liver diseases can damage regenerative potential of mature hepatocytes, hepatic progenitor cells or oval cells. In such cases, a stem cell-based therapy can be an alternative therapeutic option. We examined whether human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HAM) and human umbilical cord-derived stem cells (HUC) could differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells as therapeutic cells for the liver diseases. Methods: HAM and HUC were isolated from the amnion and umbilical cord of the volunteers after a caesarean section with informed consent. In order to differentiate these cells into hepatocyte-like cells, cells were cultivated in hepatogenic medium using culture plates coated with fibronectin. Effects of hepatocyte growth factor, L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, insulin premixture fibroblast growth gactor 4, dimethylsulfoxide, oncostatin M and/or dexamethasone were examined on the hepatic differentiation. After differentiation, the cells were analyzed by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, immunoblotting, albumin ELISA, urea assay and periodic acid-schiffs staining. Results: Initial fibroblast-like appearance of HAM and HUC changed to a round shape during culture in the hepatogenic medium. However, in all hepatogenic conditions examined, HUC secreted more amounts of albumin or urea into medium than HAM. Expression of some of hepatocyte-specific genes increased and expression of new genes were observed in HUC following cultivation in hepatogenic medium. Results of immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting analyses demonstrated that HUC secreted albumin into the culture medium. PAS staining further demonstrated that HUC could store glycogen inside of the cells. Conclusions: Both HUC and HAM could differentiate into albumin-secreting, hepatocyte-like cells. Under the same hepatogenic conditions examined, HUC more efficiently differentiated into hepatocyte-like cells compared with the HAM. The results suggest that HUC and HAM could be used as sources of stem cells for the cell-based therapeutics such as in liver diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.186-192
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• 2001

A primary culture of human fetal hepatocytes was obtained through a therapeutic abortion process at 26 weeks of gestation period. More than $10^8$ cells were seeded on a plastic plate. These hepatocytes were infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The HBV was purified from serum of one chronic HBV carrier. Transformed hepatocytes were subcultured in a 10% FBS-supplemented medium. The morphology of the transformed cell was epithelial-like. The cells from the first pass showed signs of early proliferation and had a latent period of more than 3 months after 6-7 passages. After the rest period, the transformed cell proliferated actively and they were subcultured every three days. Transformed hepatocytes were characterized by detection of the HBV transcript by RT-PCR. The secretion of virions from transformed cells was investigated by PCR with the cell medium. Two types of virions secreted into the culture medium were examined by using the transmission electron microscope. Another approach to study the secretion of virions in to culture medium was carried out with HBV antibody. HBsAg was detected in the culture medium of transformed cells using ELISA and Western blot analyses. These data suggested that the human fetal hepatocyte cell line has been established by infection of HBV, in which this cell line secreted viral particles into the culture medium.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 1998

Effects of pituitary and thyroid hormones on estradiol-induced vitellogenin (VTG) induction were electrophoretically examined in primary hepatocyte cultures of rainbow trout. Hepatocytes were precultured for 2 days and then estradiol-17 $\beta$ $(E_2,\;2 \times 10^{-6}M)$>, triiodothyronine $(T_3,\;10^{-8}-10^{-6}M)$, bovine growth hormone (bGH, 10-100 ng/ml), ovine prolactin (oPRL, 100-500 ng/ml), and pituitary extract (PE) of rainbow trout (0.75PE/dish) were added to the incubation medium. The hepatocytes were cultured for 7 more days. The addition of oPRL to the incubation medium was not effective in increasing VTG production at any concentrations. The addition of PE to the incubation medium with $E_2$ was not effective in increasing VTG production. The addition of bGH to the incubation medium with $E_2$ was not effective in increasing the rate of VTG production at concentrations of 10-50 ng/ml. However, a higher concentration of bGH, 100 ng/ml, increased VTG production. The various concentrations of $T_3$ were ineffective in stimulating VTG production. These results suggest that GH could be one of stimulus factors for VTG production in rainbow trout.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.285-302
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• 1992

Human and rat hepatocytes were isolated by nonperfusion method and cultured for longer than 5 days. Human liver biopsy sample and rat liver were used as hepatocyte source. Several physical and chemical factors which were influencing on hepatocyte isolation procedure were examined and a batch isolation procedure was established for small size sample of rat liver. Isolated hepatocytes showed normal morphlologica characteristics in microscopy and electron microscopical examinations and a morphologica response to phalloidin. Isolated cells were cultured as a monolayer and proven to have intact morphological characteristics for longer than 15 days. Because human liver sample is harder and tighter compared with rat liver, a standard procedure for rat hepatocytes was slightly modified to reduce mechanical damage. Similarly with rat hepatocytes, isolated human hepatocytes showed a normal morphological characteristics and could be cultured for longer than 15days. Human and rat hepatocytes were examined on their functional integrities including cytochrome-P450 related enzyme activity and it's inducibility, hormonal inducibility of AIB uptake and TAT activity, albumin synthesis, DNA synthesis, cellular protein maintenance. In all parameters used in the present study, human and rat hepatocytes showed normal functional characteristics.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.348-357
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• 1998

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of mugwort extracts on the blood ethanol concentration and liver function in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were used, the rats administered with 25% ethanol (5g/kg$.$B.W.) were devided into three groups (CON-E ; 25% ethanol administered to the CON-E) according to the administered ethanol concentration and the levels of administered mugwonts. Mugwont roots extracts were administered via the caudal vein. Ethanol concentration was measured at the time of 0, 1, 2 and 3hr by gas chromatography. GOT(Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase) and GPT(Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase) were measured at the time of 0 and 5hr. Components of each extracts were analyzed by using high performance liquid chromatography. Cell number, GOT and GPT were investigated by using rat hepatocyte culture. Megwort extracts were added at the levels of 1% or 2%. Hepatocyte culture were into five groups according to the addition levels. The results were summarized as follows ; 1. Catechin contents of 8∼10mg/100g and the contents of (-)-epigallocatechin was high in the water extracts. 2. Ethanol degradation efficiency declines in the following order : MDW-E＞MOH-E＞CON-E. 3. The numbers of rat hepatocytes declines in the following order : 2% MDW-L＞1%MDW-L＞1%MOH-L＞CON-L＞2%MOH-L. These results suggest that crude catechin of mugwort extracts may play important roles to degrade ethanol and recover liver function in rats.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.278-283
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• 1992

Rat hepatocytes were isolated and cultured on the petri dishes treated with various coating materials. Untreated or collagen coated petri dish gave monolayer culture of hepatocyte and proteoglycan, dermatan sulfate, and BSA treated petri dish gave hemispheroid. The untreated Primaria petri dish gave spheroid type of hepatocyte, and heparin and hyaluronic acid treatment gave multilayers. To sustain high cell viability, monolayer cultured hepatocytes was more useful, while it was found that the hemispheroid or spheroid type hepatocytes was more active in the hepatic functions such as ammonia metabolism and albumin synthesis.