A non-adhesive hybrid scaffold from gelatin and gum Arabic as packed bed matrix for hepatocyte perfusion culture.

Development of liver support systems has become one of the most investigated areas for the last 50 years because of the shortage of donor organs for orthotopic liver transplantations. Bioartificial liver (BAL) device is one of the alternatives for liver failure which provides a curing method and support patients to recover from certain liver failure diseases. The biological compartment of BAL is called the bioreactor where functionally active hepatocytes are maintained to support the liver specific functions.

Evaluation of polypropylene hollow-fiber prototype bioreactor for bioartificial liver.

Hepatocytes in high density are a requisite for the functional performance of complex devices such as bioartificial liver (BAL). In addition to high cell number, efficient mass transfer is also a key parameter in such devices. High-density culture of cells and efficient mass transfer can be achieved in BAL with hollow-fiber-based bioreactors.