Isolation and identification of rat Kupffer cells.

Preservation of liver for transplantation into allogeneic recipient affects the integrity and function of Kupffer cells. Rapid method for obtaining pure macrophages by dispersing the liver with collagenase and pronase would open possibility for different investigations. The experiments concerning morphology and phagocytic function were performed on Kupffer cells after 21 hours in vitro culture in Eagle medium with 20% inactivated calf serum. Studies on endocytosis using human red cells and colloidal carbon indicated that Kupffer cells revealed high phagocytic activity after culture.