2006 Volume No 11– pages 16-26
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Title: Hepatic stellate cells on poly(DL-lactic acid)
surfaces control the formation of 3D hepatocyte co-culture
aggregates in vitro |
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Authors: Thomas RJ, Bennett A, Thomson B, Shakesheff
KM |
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Address: Tissue Engineering Group, School of Pharmacy,
The University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK |
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E-mail: kevin.shakesheff at nottingham.ac.uk |
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Key Words: Poly(DL-lactic acid), stellate cell, Hepatocyte,
Tissue culture, 3D |
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Publication date: January 23rd 2006 |
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Abstract: Evidence for the functional superiority
of cells cultured as 3D aggregates or on 3D scaffolds over
conventional 2D monolayer cultures has created interest in
material and cell based methods that influence the formation
and structure of multicellular aggregates in vitro.
We have created a co-culture of primary rat hepatocytes and
hepatic stellate cells on a poly(DL-lactic acid) surface,
a poor substrate for rat hepatocyte adhesion, to study the
dynamics of multicellular spheroid formation and the resultant
cell arrangement. The poly(DL-lactic acid) surface allows
dynamic and rapid interaction of hepatocytes and stellate
cells to form co-culture spheroids in a complex multistage
process (shown by time lapse microscopy). This spheroid morphology
supports enhanced cell viability relative to a mono-culture
mono-layer system (measured by lactate dehydrogenase leakage).
The distribution of the aggregating cell type in the final
structure is related to the mechanics of formation i.e. mainly
central and peripheral. This study provides a unique and generically
applicable insight into the dynamics of multicellular spheroid
formation where aggregation is induced by one cell type and
imposed on another. This has implications for 3D cell culture
models and a wide number of currently used stromal co-culture
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Article download: Pages
16-26 (PDF file) |
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