| Abstract |
Hepatocytes isolated from an adult male Wistar rat were transfected with
plasmid pMTIOD containing the early region of simian virus 40 (SV40)
genome by using the electroporation method and a hepatocyte line,
designated RTH33, has been established from the transformed cells. The
presence of SV40 T antigen in the RTH33 cells showed that the cell line
resulted from the introduction of SV40 genetic information. RTH33 cells
were similar in morphology to the primary hepatocytes in monolayer culture.
The cells multiplied vigorously in a serum-containing medium and, as is
evident in the case of primary hepatocytes, the DNA synthesis was
stimulated by insulin and the epidermal growth factor (EGF). RTH33 cells
retained hepatocytic functions including albumin synthesis, urea
synthesis, gluconeogenesis, ketogenesis and glucuronidation of bilirubin
even after more than 100 passages over a period of 2 years. The cell line,
RTH33, is a useful and stable cell source not only for biological studies
of hepatocytes, but also in the development of bioartificial livers using
cultured hepatocytes, which is a promising therapeutic method in the case
of fulminant hepatic failure.
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