Strategies for restoration and maintenance of normal hepatic structure and function in long-term cultures of rat hepatocytes

The use of in vitro and in vivo systems to evaluate hepatic drug uptake and metabolism, microsomal cytochrome P450 induction, drug interactions, hepatotoxicity, and cholestasis is an essential part of the drug development and discovery process. The use of cell culture to study liver function offers several advantages over whole animal models. Over the past two decades, the focus of many investigations has been the development of methods of culturing hepatocytes under conditions whereby the regulation and activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes, as well as other liver-specific proteins, are restored and maintained over prolonged periods.