Exploring the performance of HepatoXcell™ in two liver-chip platforms

The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body and is responsible for more than 500 metabolic functions. One of its primary roles in pharmacology is to metabolize drugs into forms that the body can utilize or excrete. In vitro liver models are therefore essential tools during the discovery and preclinical phases of drug development. However, conventional monolayer and suspension cultures of hepatocytes often rapidly lose metabolic activity over time.

To address this limitation, liver-chip technology integrates microfluidics to simulate the liver's dynamic microenvironment, which includes blood flow and complex cell-cell interactions that replicate the three-dimensional structure of liver tissue. This technology supports hepatocyte cultures for extended periods while preserving their functional activity.

In this study, we evaluated the performance of HepatoXcell™ primary human hepatocytes within liver-chip technologies. Using a standardized protocol, we cultured cells in two microfabricated liver-chip designs: a flat-bed design and a 3-D meshed-bed design. The flat-bed design features hepatocytes interfacing with non-parenchymal cells through a porous membrane in a microfluidic channel. In contrast, the meshed-bed design employs a silicon perforated scaffold situated on a microporous filter, with primary hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells seeded on the filter within the scaffold. In this latter setup, fluid flows through the cell aggregates.

The quality and functionality of primary hepatocytes are crucial for the success and relevance of liver-chip models. Freshly isolated cryopreserved hepatocytes can exhibit varying functions depending on their source and the freezing process used. ATCC, a leading resource for biological materials, has recently introduced high-quality HepatoXcell primary human hepatocytes along with validated liver media kits specifically designed for use in microphysiological systems (MPS) technologies. These resources provide a comprehensive system for human liver culture.

This study demonstrates the high quality of HepatoXcell across two distinct liver-chip platforms, highlighting their applicability in microfluidic systems. The data support the use of these cell models in pharmacological research, including drug discovery, toxicity testing, and disease modeling.