Agency:

Agricultural Research Service

February 2, 1999

The invention involves the development of an artificial liver device that incorporates a continuous liver cell line derived from the pig embryo. The invention can serve as an effective way to provide temporary support to patients awaiting a liver transplant. The invention may use two plates comprised of 12-inch square glass or plastic sheets that are separated by about one millimeter and sealed. Alternatively, existing devices requiring cells may also be useful. The device has an intake and outflow manifold, allowing for the flow of blood or plasma to pass through the plate. The cell culture plate is constructed with a semi-permeable membrane so fluid such as media, blood or plasma may be effectively circulated through the apparatus for dialysis. It is estimated that a plate could accommodate one billion adult pig hepatocytes or embryonic hepatocytes. A key component of the invention is that it does not use transformed cells, but normal cells that best mimic human liver function.

Neil C. Talbot

Livestock & Poultry Science

Beltsville, Maryland 20705

(301) 504-8216/ Fax: (301) 504-8414

Industry Keywords:

artificial organs, cell culture production, pig, liver, biotechnology, cell lines, epiblast, transplant, dialysis, device, embryo