Metabolic capability of rat hepatocytes isolated by perfusion and tissue slice techniques

The metabolic capability of hepatocytes prepared by the perfusion method (P cells) and the tissue slice method (S cells) has been compared using standardised procedures. Yields of P cells were four times greater than for S cells. Trypan blue exclusion viability and oxygen utilization were similar although the viability of S cells deteriorated faster with time. P cells had a lower endogenous rate of glycogenolysis and showed better glucagon stimulation than S cells. Similarly, P cells performed gluconeogenesis at a higher rate. However, there was no significant difference in the metabolism of the xenobiotic ethoxycoumarin. It is concluded that while S cells are probably satisfactory for studies of drug metabolism their use for work involving surface receptor binding and energy demanding processes should be questioned.