Therapeutic Efficacy of the Transplantation of Isolated Hepatocytes in Rats with Surgically Induced Acute Hepatic Failure: A Study of the Mechanism

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Abstract
In this study, the beneficial effect of intrasplenic transplantation of hepatocytes or splenocytes was shown in animals with 75% hepatectomy and portacaval shunt but not in animals with total dehepatization by hepatic vascular exclusion. No enhancement of the phagocytic activity was observed in the animals with 75% hepatectomy and portacaval shunt after injection of hepatocytes or splenocytes. This study confirms the efficacy of hepatocytes for the treatment of experimental liver failure but shows that nonhepatic cells may be equally as effective. Metabolic activity of the transplanted cells and stimulation of the phagocytic activity of the reticuloendothelial system probably do not explain the therapeutic effect of the transplanted cells.