Culture of Porcine Hepatocytes Using Radial Flow Bioreactor System

Porcine primary hepatocytes were cultured in a radial flow bioreactor system to examine the effects of ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (Asc2-P) and dissolved oxygen concentration (DO) on the ammonium metabolism. The hepatocytes were isolated from the liver of slaughtered pig, and 2 × 108 hepatocytes were inoculated into the bioreactor. At 6.86 mg/l DO, ammonium metabolic rate of hepatocytes cultured with 1.5 mmol/l Asc2-P was higher than that without Asc2-P, and was maintained over 10 days. At 10.0 mg/l DO, the activity was enhanced and maintained over 1 month. These results show that the hepatocytes can maintain the function for long period in the bioreactor with Asc2-P at 10.0 mg/l DO.