Effect of extracorporeal bioartificial liver support system on fulminant hepatic failure in rabbits

Objective To evaluate the possibility of using cultured human hepatocytes as a biartificalliver, which is used as an adjuvant support in liver transplantation. Methods The experiment of extracorporealbioartificial liver support system (EBLSS) based on cultured human hepatocytes and a hollow fiber bioreactor carried out on fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) in rabbits induced by D-galactosamine. Results There was no difference in survival time between the experimental and control groups of rabbits, but in the supported rabbits siboficantly lower serum alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, creatinine and markedly milder hepatocyte necrosisthan those in control animals were observed. In addition, goods viability of human liver cells was noted in the experiment. Conclusion These data indicate that this EBLSS has played the biologic role of cultured human hepatocytes, and would be capable of partly compensating the function of the FHF liver.