Assessment of cryopreserved hepatocytes as an alternative to fresh hepatocytes for comparative interspecies metabolism studies with suitable acceptance criteria.

Fresh hepatocytes have been the choice for interspecies comparative drug metabolism studies. Cryopreserved hepatocytes represent a readily available alternative when combined with acceptance limits based on the metabolic turnover of 7-ethoxycoumarin. Results for the ten NCEs examined show that the metabolites formed were strongly correlated in fresh and cryopreserved hepatocytes.