Primary human liver cells as source for modylar extracorporeal liver support - a preliminary report

Cell-based extracorporeal liver support is an option to assist or replace the failing organ until regeneration or until transplantation can be performed. The use of porcine cells or tumor cell lines is controversial Primary human liver cells, obtained from explanted organs found to be unsuitable for transplantation, are a desirable cell source as they perform human metabolism and regulation. The Nodular Extracorporeal Liver Support (MELS) concept combines different extracorporeal therapy units, tailored to suit the individual and intra-tndividual clinical needs of the patient. A multi-compartment bioreactor (CellModule) is loaded with human liver cells obtained by 5-step collagenase liver perfusion. A cell mass of 400 g 600 g enables the clinical application of a liver lobe equivalent hybrid organ. A detoxification module enables single pass albumin-dialysis via a standard high-flux dialysis filter, and continuous veno-venuous hemodiafiltration may be included if required. Cells from 54 human livers have been isolated (donor age: 56 plus or minus 13 years, liver weight; 1862 plus or minus 556 g resulting in a viability of 55.0 plus or minus 15.9%). These grafts were not suitable for LTx, due to steatosis (54%), cirrhosis (15%), fibrosis (9%), and other reasons (22%). Out of 36 prepared bioreactors, 10 were clinically used to treat 8 patients with liver failure. The overall treatment time was 7-144 hours. No adverse events were observed, Initial clinical applications of the bioreactor evidenced the technical feasibility and safety of the system.