First approaches for the transplantation of hepatocytes from Wistar rat preneoplastic livers into healthy recipients.

Background: the shortage of donors of hepatocyte transplantation therapy led to the use of so-called marginal donors. Some donors may have a hepatic illnesses that is associated with hepatic preneoplasia with foci of altered hepatocytes (FAH).

Aims: to determine whether recipients developed FAH upon transplantation with hepatocytes from a preneoplastic liver and whether FAH progresses to a preneoplastic hepatocyte-derived tumor (PHDT), up to 60 days after transplantation.

Implementing an Advance Care Planning Intervention in Community Settings with Older Latinos: A Feasibility Study.

Background: Older Latinos with serious medical conditions such as cancer and other chronic diseases lack information about advance care planning (ACP). ACP Intervention (ACP-I Plan) was designed for informational and communication needs of older Latinos to improve communication and advance directives (ADs).

Objective: To determine the feasibility of implementing ACP-I Plan among seriously ill, older Latinos (≥50 years) in Southern New Mexico with one or more chronic diseases (e.

Performance of cold-preserved rat liver Microorgans as the biological component of a simplified prototype model of bioartificial liver.

Aim: To develop a simplified bioartificial liver (BAL) device prototype, suitable to use freshly and preserved liver Microorgans (LMOs) as biological component.

Methods: The system consists of 140 capillary fibers through which goat blood is pumped. The evolution of hematocrit, plasma and extra-fiber fluid osmolality was evaluated without any biological component, to characterize the prototype.

Hepatic preneoplasia induction in male Wistar rats: histological studies up to five months post treatment.

Background: Liver preneoplasia development in rats can be mimicked by an initiation-promotion model that induces the appearance of altered hepatocyte foc (FAH).

Aims: We compare two initiation-promotion models to evaluate the presence of FAH or additional hepatic pathologies in which other organs were affected up to five month post treatment.

Material And Methods: FAH were induced in male adult Wistar rats with two doses of dietylnitrosamine (DEN, 150 mg/kg bw) followed by 4 doses per week (3 weeks) of 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF, 20 mg/kg bw) or with one dose of DEN (200 mg/kg bw) followed by 2 doses per week (3 weeks) of 2-AAF.

Comparison of two chemical models to induce hepatic preneoplasia in male Wistar rats.

Background: One established model to induce hepatic preneoplasia (HP) (DEN 150) uses diethylnitrosamine (DEN) as initiator agent and 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) as a promoter drug. In addition, both chemicals cause liver cholestasis and fibrosis.

Aim: We compared DEN 150 model with another adapted by us, DEN 200 to simplify the first one and to evaluate the effectiveness of both treatments to induce HP in rats.

Hypothermic preservation of rat liver microorgans (LMOs) in bes-gluconate solution. Protective effects of polyethyleneglycol (PEG) on total water content and functional viability.

We have reported of an alternative solution to preserve hepatocytes that have three key components: gluconate, sucrose and an aminosulfonic acid (BGS solution). In order to extend the use of this solution to organs as the liver, we evaluate the effect of the addition of PEG of 8, 20 and 35 kDa to BG Solution on the total water content and functional viability of rat liver microorgans (LMOs). LMOs were preserved (48 h 0 ºC) in the following solutions: ViaSpan(®); BGS; BG plus 4% PEG 8000 (BG8); BG plus 4% PEG 20.

Structural, ultrastructural and functional studies of human cardiac valve allografts that suffered an increment of the cryostorage temperature.

Human cardiac valve allografts (HVAs) suffer injuries during the cryopreservation period. Here, we described structural, ultrastructural and functional damages suffered by HVAs after an increment of their cryostorage temperature (100 degree C). Two experimental groups of pulmonary and aortic HVAs were compared: cryopreserved (HVAcryo) and cryopreserved with temperature changes (HVAΔT).

A device to measure oxygen consumption during the hypothermic perfusion of the liver.

This work deals with the construction and performance of a device designed to measure the oxygen consumption by the liver during hypothermic perfusion in the rat model. Due to its simple design and the utilization of standard materials, it could serve to determine the role of oxygenation during hypothermic perfusion of the liver. The system consists of a reservoir containing the preservation solution, a peristaltic pump and an internal oxygenator made of silicone tube.

Morphological and biochemical analysis of human cardiac valve allografts after an increment of the cryostorage temperature.

Cryopreserved human cardiac valve allografts could suffer lethal damages if the temperature is elevated during cryostorage. This work describes the functional and morphological alterations suffered by human cardiac valve allografts after a gradual increment of the cryostorage temperature from -147 degrees C to -47 degrees C due to a technical failure. Three experimental groups of human pulmonary and aortic allografts were compared: fresh, cryopreserved (-147 degrees C) and cryopreserved with temperature changes from -147 degrees C up to -47 degrees C and back to -147 degrees C.

Effect of cold preservation/reperfusion on glycogen content of liver. Concise review.

Livers cold preserved during variable periods of ischemia suffer functional, morphological and hemodynamic alteration, which are exacerbated when they are reperfused. One important injury is glycogen depletion during cold ischemia/ reperfusion. How liver can restore their energy during reperfusion is related with the preservation time, nutritional status of the donor, and the preservation solution used.

Effect of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) added to the University of Wisconsin solution (UW): II) Functional response to cold preservation/reperfusion of rat liver.

Livers cold preserved in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution followed by reperfusion suffer ischemia/reperfusion injuries. Microcirculation is the primary target of damage, characterized by sinusoidal perfusion failure due, mainly, to morphological changes of sinusoidal endothelial cells. Here, we demonstrated that the addition of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) to the UW solution before cold storage, as a nitric oxide (NO) donor, attenuated hepatic injuries.

The benefit of adding sodium nitroprusside (NPNa) or S-nitrosoglutathion (GSNO) to the University of Wisconsin solution (UW) to prevent morphological alterations during cold preservation/reperfusion of rat livers.

Cold liver preservation in the University of Wisconsin solution (UW) followed by reperfusion alters hepatic parenchyma and extra cellular matrix. In this study we analyzed the benefit of adding either 500 microM Sodium Nitroprusside (NPNa) or 100 microM S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) as Nitric Oxide (NO) donors to the UW solution to prevent hepatic injury. Wistar adult rat livers were stored in UW solution (0 degrees C) for 48Hs and reperfused (60 minutes) in the isolated perfused rat liver model (IPRL).

Engraftment and function of intrasplenically transplanted cold stored rat hepatocytes.

Hepatocellular transplant may potentially be efficacious for the treatment of selected liver metabolic disorders and acute hepatic failure. On the other hand, the use of hepatocyte cold preservation techniques in these transplantation protocols would allow to have available cells at the right time and place and, consequently, make an optimal use of scarce human hepatocytes. In our experiments we evaluated the biodistribution and functionality of cold preserved hepatocytes transplanted in the spleen of syngeneic rats.