Transplantation of hepatocytes cultured on hydroxyapatite into Nagase analbuminemia rats

Rat hepatocytes were seeded in porous hydroxyapatite (HA) disks for hepatocyte transplantation to Nagase analbuminemic rat (NAR). To increase the cell density in the HA, cell suspension in the tube containing the disks were centrifuged down. The centrifugation increased the viable cell number in HA disk approximately 4-fold over the static method. The HA disks were intraperitoneally transplanted into NARs and harvested three weeks after the transplantation. Angiogenesis with no obvious inflammatory reaction was found inside the pore areas of HA. The ectopic transplantation well supported the viability of hepatocytes seeded in HA disks evidenced by significant increases in the host rats' serum albumin level as time passed after the transplantation.