Promutagen activation by freshly isolated and cryopreserved rat hepatocytes.

The metabolic activation of promutagens by freshly isolated and cryopreserved rat hepatocytes was compared using the Chinese hamster ovary/hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase assay (CHO/HGPRT). Cryopreserved rat hepatocytes were equivalent to freshly isolated hepatocytes in their ability to metabolize dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) to active mutagens. Similar dose-response curves were observed using either freshly isolated or cryopreserved hepatocytes as activating systems after treatment with DMBA (0.1-1 micrograms/ml) and DMN (0.075-0.6 mg/ml). Our results suggest that cryopreserved hepatocytes are similar to freshly isolated hepatocytes as an experimental system for studies on promutagen activation.