What question did this study set out to answer?

To identify the collagen synthesis capability of hepatocytes in culture and correlate it with in vivo findings.

March 18, 1983Science104 citations

Collagen Formation by the Hepatocyte in Primary Monolayer Culture and in Vivo

RDRobert F. DiegelmannVirginia Commonwealth University PGPhilip S. GuzelianUniversity of Colorado Health RGRenate GayHarvard University

Key Points

To identify the collagen synthesis capability of hepatocytes in culture and correlate it with in vivo findings.
Used immunohistochemical techniques to analyze collagen synthesis.
Maintained adult rat liver parenchymal cells in nonreplicating monolayer culture for 2 days in serum-free medium.
Localized type IV collagen in pathological rat liver slices.
Hepatocytes synthesized type IV collagen in culture within 2 days.
Type I and III interstitial collagens were also synthesized during extended culture.
Type IV collagen was found in hepatocytes of pathologic liver, suggesting a role in liver fibrosis.

Abstract

Immunohistochemical techniques were used to confirm biochemical evidence that parenchymal cells isolated from adult rat liver and maintained in nonreplicating monolayer culture for 2 days synthesized type IV basement membrane collagen. On continued incubation in serum-free medium, the hepatocytes also synthesized the interstitial collagens, types I and III. Consistent with these results in culture, type IV collagen was localized to the hepatocytes in slices of pathologic rat liver. Hence collagen formation is a previously unrecognized function of the hepatocyte that may be important in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis or cirrhosis.

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