This Article Free Full Text Free Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Nagel, S. Articles by Grosse-Siestrup, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nagel, S. Articles by Grosse-Siestrup, C. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

An Improved Model of Isolated Hemoperfused Porcine Livers Using Pneumatically Driven Pulsating Blood Pumps

¹ Department of Comparative Medicine and Experimental Animal Science, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, D-13353 Berlin, Germany
² Occupational and Environmental Medicine Research Unit, Charité-University Meldicine Berlin, D-13353 Berlin, Germany

Correspondence: Address correspondence to: Dr. Stefan Nagel, Tierexperimentelle Einrichtungen, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, BMFZ, Forum 4, Hs. 37, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany; e-mail:stefan.nagel{at}charite.de

Existing liver perfusion models are largely limited by high degrees of ischemic and reperfusion injury and the lack of standardization. To establish a highly standardized perfusion model and minimize reperfusion injury, a porcine liver perfusion model was developed using an artificial heart pump (Buecherl Artificial Heart). This model is characterized by pneumatically driven and pressure controlled blood pumps with pulsating flow characteristics. The perfusion parameters and the integrity of the perfused organ were assessed using hemodynamic and hepatic function tests. In eight porcine liver perfusion experiments the system allowed maintaining stable and physiologic organ function over 3 hours by bile production (5.5 ±3.1 ml/30 minutes, resp. 22.9 ±8.4 ml cumulative at 180 minutes), oxygen consumption (2.2 ±0.2 ml/min/100 g overall mean) and significantly better liver enzyme levels (AST 19.5 ± 10.1 U/l/100 g, ALT 2.1 ± 0.8 U/l/min, LDH 57.8 ± 24.2 U/l/100 g) compared to previous studies. It was also possible to reduce the circulating blood volume to 1,000 ml and to create a compact perfusion system that is adoptable to other organ systems such as the kidneys. The compact size and the absence of magnetic components also allow a use for advanced imaging techniques. In conclusion this optimized perfusion system provides a sound basis for future studies in the area of hepatotoxicity and pharmacology.

Key Words: Toxicology • isolated organ perfusion • organ preservation • artificial heart blood pump

Toxicologic Pathology, Vol. 33, No. 4, 434-440 (2005)
DOI: 10.1080/01926230590958164


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?