Comparison of cytologic and biochemical properties between liver cells isolated from adult rats by trypsin perfusion and those isolated by collagenase perfusion.

Primary cultures of liver cells isolated from adult rats by trypsin and collagenase perfusion techniques were carried out to compare cytologic and biochemical properties between the differently prepared cells. Trypsin-dispersed cells consisted of comparatively smaller cells, whereas collagenase-dispersed cells consisted of larger cells. The cell attachment efficiency on culture day 1 was about twice as high in the liver cells prepared with collagenase than those prepared with trypsin. Mature hepatocytes isolated by collagenase perfusion could be maintained in the primary culture for a longer period than those isolated by trypsin perfusion. Epithelial-like clear cells started to grow much earlier in the primary culture of the trypsin-dispersed liver cells than in that of the collagenase-dispersed liver cells. Earlier proliferation of epithelial-like clear cells could not be induced by in vitro trypsinization of the collagenase-dispersed liver cells. Both kinds of enzymatically prepared liver cells showed albumin production and exhibited glucose 6-phosphatase (D-glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.9, G6Pase) and tyrosine aminotransferase (L-tyrosine: 2-oxoglutarate amino-transferase, EC 2.6.1.5, TAT) activities for 1 week in the primary culture. Albumin production was higher in the liver cells prepared with collagenase than those prepared with trypsin, whereas G6Pase activity was almost the same between them. TAT activity up to culture day 2 was about 3-fold higher in the liver cells prepared with collagenase than in those prepared with trypsin. Combined supplementation of dexamethasone (1 X 10(-5)M) and insulin (10 micrograms/ml) consistently improved the cell attachment efficiency and was very effective in the maintenance of mature hepatocytes in both types. Furthermore, these hormones enhanced the albumin production and TAT activity in both types.