Ready-to-use 3D Hepatocyte-Stellate Cell Spheroids - 96 plates

Liver is a complex unit formed by parenchymal cells (hepatocytes) and non-parenchymal cells (e.g. hepatic stellate cells endothelial cells immune cells etc.) [1]. Hepatocytes are primarily responsible for drug metabolism and a range of functions while hepatic stellate cells support hepatocytes by producing extracellular matrix and mediate inflammatory responses during liver injury [2]. The contribution of non-parenchymal cells however is not accounted for in monocultures of hepatocytes. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of hepatic stellate cells and their contribution to drug toxicity and overall liver responses using the hepatocyte/stellate cell co-culture models [1 and 2]. To more closely mimic the cellular complexity of the liver ScienCell has developed the ready-to-use 3D liver co-culture spheroids composed of hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells at a 2:1 ratio. In 3D culture hepatic stellate cells not only support the formation of compact hepatocyte spheroids by matrix remodeling but also significantly improve the liver-specific functions (Figures 1 and 2). For example the mRNA expression levels of phase I and II enzymes (CYP3A4 CYP2D6 GSTT1 and ABCB11) and hepatic markers (CASR PPARA HNF4A and ALB) are significantly higher in hepatocyte-stellate cell co-culture spheroids (SP3D-HSteCS) versus the 3D hepatocyte monocultures (Figure 2). SP3D-HSteCS therefore are a more integrated co-culture system designed to study the complex cellular crosstalk or can be used as a tool to prolong hepatocyte function in a defined serum-free 3D medium.

To more closely mimic the cellular complexity of the liver ScienCell has developed the ready-to-use 3D liver co-culture spheroids composed of hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells at a 2:1 ratio. These co-culture spheroids are ideal to study the cellular crosstalk occurred during physiological and pathological liver conditions.