Hepatocytes

How does pharmacology benefit from hepatocytes ?

Like every human organ the liver consists of a complex composite of different cells with different functions. Hepatocytes are the most important constituent in mere number given the fact, that they make round about 75 % of the total liver cells.

It's within the liver where metabolism takes place, i. e. the chemical conversion of nearly all substances the human body ingests. In consequence - to examine how these substances affect the organism one first of all has to study the metabolic processes in the liver.

In pharmacology hepatocytes serve the purpose to analyse the toxicity and metabolic patterns of certain chemical compounds - e. g. drug candidates -during the preclinical phase.

Why are the hepatocytes of hepacult unique ?

hepacult resorts to a proprietary method for cell preservation. The technique of cold storage combined with an nutrient solution developed inhouse guarantees the transport of fresh cells to the user.

Competing processes - like the cryo-conservation (deep frozen cells at approx. -80° C) and subsequent short time cultivation/suspension culture - show crucial disadvantages compared to the techiques of hepacult. Only 20-60% of the hepatocytes usually survive after they are defrosted. Besides the hepatocytes lose some of their essential properties.

Shortcoming of conventional preservation methods limited the explanatory power of in vitro experiments to a considerable degree, which prevented the breakthrough of hepatocytes in pharmaceutical research.

On the contrary, cell samples extracted via the technologies of hepacult still show a high vitality after 48 hours. In addition the cells remain intact regarding their metabolic properties.

Thus for the first time hepacult can provide to pharmaceutical research hepatocytes as reliable and valid in vitro models. These hepatocytes are a true substitution technology to previously used trial models. Because they are closer to the human in vivo situation, these hepatocytes deliver far better data.

Hepatocytes of hepacult - value for humans, animals and industry

Hepatocytes can replace animal experiments in the area of metabolism to a large extent. Results gained during the preclinical stage with hepacult's hepatocytes show a better prognostic value. Partially even the extremely cost-intensive clinical experiments on humans and related risks to humans can be reduced.

Summing up, the technology platform of hepacult has an enormous potential to cut the development expenditure for new drugs and to lower hazards for animals and humans simultaneously.