A comparison of in-vitro models to study hepatic lipid and lipoprotein metabolism

Removal of the liver from its physiological environment provides the opportunity to examine its response when challenged directly with substances which, in vivo, are associated with changes in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Many in-vitro models are currently available, ranging from intact, perfused livers to transformed cell lines. Selection of the most suitable model depends upon the precise experimental objective(s) and, in most cases, involves trading off one advantage in favour of another. This is particularly true in selecting a human model, and in this case, complementary studies involving more than one model system may provide the best results.