Fatty degeneration in cultured hepatocytes. A new experimental model.

In co-cultures of adult rat hepatocytes and a neonatal rat liver cell line, severe fatty degeneration was induced by the addition of 50% rat serum. The light and electron microscopic patterns did not differ significantly from those of in vivo fatty degeneration and the changes were reversible on removal of the serum. The in vitro system is considered to simulate some forms of fatty degeneration of the liver and to be suitable for testing the effects of liver-protecting agents.