Protocol for Isolation of Primary Human Hepatocytes and Corresponding Major Populations of Non-parenchymal Liver Cells

Summary

A technique to isolate human hepatocytes and non-parenchymal liver cells from the same donor is described. The different liver cell types build the basis for functional liver models and tissue engineering. This new method aims to isolate liver cells in a high yield and viability.

Abstract

Beside parenchymal hepatocytes, the liver consists of non-parenchymal cells (NPC) namely Kupffer cells (KC), liver endothelial cells (LEC) and hepatic Stellate cells (HSC). Two-dimensional (2D) culture of primary human hepatocyte (PHH) is still considered as the "gold standard" for in vitro testing of drug metabolism and hepatotoxicity. It is well-known that the 2D monoculture of PHH suffers from dedifferentiation and loss of function. Recently it was shown that hepatic NPC play a central role in liver (patho-) physiology and the maintenance of PHH functions. Current research focuses on the reconstruction of in vivo tissue architecture by 3D- and co-culture models to overcome the limitations of 2D monocultures. Previously we published a method to isolate human liver cells and investigated the suitability of these cells for their use in cell cultures in Experimental Biology and Medicine¹. Based on the broad interest in this technique the aim of this article was to provide a more detailed protocol for the liver cell isolation process including a video, which will allow an easy reproduction of this technique.

Human liver cells were isolated from human liver tissue samples of surgical interventions by a two-step EGTA/collagenase P perfusion technique. PHH were separated from the NPC by an initial centrifugation at 50 x g. Density gradient centrifugation steps were used for removal of dead cells. Individual liver cell populations were isolated from the enriched NPC fraction using specific cell properties and cell sorting procedures. Beside the PHH isolation we were able to separate KC, LEC and HSC for further cultivation.

Taken together, the presented protocol allows the isolation of PHH and NPC in high quality and quantity from one donor tissue sample. The access to purified liver cell populations could allow the creation of in vivo like human liver models.

Introduction

Human liver tissue is highly complex and consists of two different cell entities, parenchymal cells and non-parenchymal cells (NPC). Parenchymal liver cells include hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Hepatocytes represent 60 to 70% of total liver cells and account for most of the metabolic liver functions, e.g., bile acid and complement factor synthesis, biotransformation and energy metabolism^2,3.

The smaller NPC fraction constitutes 30-40% of total liver cells. NPC include different cell populations, namely Kupffer cells (KC), liver endothelial cells (LEC) and the hepatic stellate cells (HSC). This heterogenic cell fr....

Protocol

Note: All cells were isolated from resected non-tumorous human liver tissue, which remained after partial liver resection with primary or secondary liver tumors. Informed consent of the patients was obtained according to the ethical guidelines of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

1. Preparation of Materials and Solutions

1. Sterilize all instruments and the materials in advance to avoid bacterial contamination during the isolation process.
2. Prepare the solutions required for the perfusion of the liver tissue sample, the isolation process of hepatocytes and non-parenchymal liver cells and the cultivation of primary ....

Results

The separation into a parenchymal and non-parenchymal fraction, using density gradient centrifugation as a clean-up procedure combined with the use of adherence properties and MACS leads to successful PHH and NPC isolation. PHH and NPC can be isolated in high quality and quantity. Figure 1 shows the representative setup of the equipment for liver perfusion and digestion. 10% FCS was added to the collagenase P containing Perfusion - Solution II to reduce proteolytic activi.......

Discussion

The published protocol describes a technique to isolate pure PHH and NPC, namely KC, HSC and LEC, simultaneously in high quality and purity from the same sample of human liver tissue. The majority of publications dealing with liver cell isolations cover only one of those cell populations^18-20 and isolation procedures performed with human tissue are rare (reviewed by Damm et al.)²¹. Adaption of methods established with animal tissue (e.g., rat liver) to human liver revealed several .......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
General Equipment
PIPETBOY	Eppendorf
pipettes	Eppendorf
microscope	Carl Zeiss
microscope	Olympus
CO2-incubator	Binder
Lamin Air	Heraeus
Centrifuge Varifuge 3.0R	Heraeus
Urine Beaker	Sarstedt	2041101
perfusor syringe 50 ml	B.Braun	12F0482022
Bottle Top Filter	Nalgene	1058787
Falcon 50 ml Polypropylene Conical Tube	BD Biosciences	352070
Falcon 15 ml Polypropylene Conical Tube	BD Biosciences	352096
Tissue Culture plate	BD Biosciences	533047	24 well
serological pipettes	BD Biosciences	357525, 357551, 357543	25 ml, 10 ml, 5 ml
pipette tips	SARSTEDT	0220/2278014, 0005/2242011, 0817/2222011	100 µl, 200 µl, 1,000 µl
Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Isolation Equipment
water bath	Lauda
peristaltic pump	Carl Roth
circulation thermostat	Lauda
pH meter	Schott
fine scales	Sartorius
stand
Büchner funnel	Haldenwanger
plastic funnel
silicone tube
cannulae with olive tips
glass dish
forceps
scalpel	Feather	12068760
Neubauer counting chamber	Optic Labor
cell lifter	Costar
Surgical Drape	Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin	A2013027
compress	Fuhrmann	40013331
sterile surgical gloves	Gammex PF	1203441104
Tissue glue	B. Braun	1050052
glass bottle	VWR
Collagenase P	Roche	13349524
Percoll Separating Solution	Biochrom	L6145	Density 1.124 g/ml
Hank’s BSS	PAA	H00911-3938
Dulbecco’s PBS	PAA	H15 - 002	without Mg/Ca
Ampuwa	Plastipur	13CKP151
Albumin	Sigma-Aldrich	A7906
NaCl	Merck	1,064,041,000
KCl	Merck	49,361,000
Hepes Pufferan	Roth	133196836
EDTA	Sigma	E-5134
Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Media Equipment
DMEM	PAA	E15-005	Low Glucose (1 g/L) (without L-Glutamine)
HEPES Buffer Solution 1 M	GIBCO	1135546
L-Glutamine	GIBCO	25030-024	200 mM
MEM NEAA	GIBCO	11140-035
penicillin/streptomycin	GIBCO	15140-122
RPMI 1640	PAA	E15 - 039	without L-Glutamine
Sodium Pyruvate	GIBCO	1137663	100 mM
Trypan Blue Solution	Sigma-Aldrich	T8154	0.4%
William’s E	GIBCO	32551-020
with GlutaMAX™
EGTA	Sigma-Aldrich	03780-50G
Fortecortin	Merck	49367	8 mg/2 ml
Human-Insulin	Lilly	HI0210	100 I.E./ml
N-Acetyl cysteine	Sigma-Aldrich	A9165-5G
Fetal calf serum (FCS)	PAA	A15-101
Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Equipment for Immunostainings
CD 68	R&D Systems, USA		monoclonal
CK 19	Santa Cruz	D2309	polyclonal
CK18	Santa Cruz	K2105	monoclonal
Vimentin	Santa Cruz		monoclonal
GFAP	Sigma Aldrich		monoclonal
Triton X-100	Sigma Aldrich	23.472-9
Goat anti-Mouse IgG1-PE	Santa Cruz	C0712
Goat anti-rabbit IgG-FITC	Santa Cruz	L0412
Methanol	J.T.Baker	1104509006
Formaldehyde 4%	Herbeta Arzneimittel	200-001-8
Bovine serum albumin (BSA)	Sigma Aldrich	A7906-100G