Contact
    Start Publications Biotransformation and liver-specific functions of human ...
    ←  Publication Finder
    Attension

    Biotransformation and liver-specific functions of human hepatocytes in culture on RGD-immobilized plasma-processed membranes

    Year: 2005

    Journal: Biomaterials 26 (2005) 4432-4441, 20111221

    Authors: Loredana De Bartolo, Sabrina Morelli, Linda C. Lopez, Lidietta Giorno, Carla Campanaa, Simona Salerno, Maria Rende, Pietro Favia, Loredana Detomaso, Roberto Gristina, Riccardo d'Agostino, Enrico Drioli

    Organizations: Institute on Membrane Technology, National Research Council of Italy, ITM-CNR, c/o University of Calabria, via P. Bucci cubo 17/C, 87030 Rende (CS), Italy; Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy; Department of Pharmacobiology, University of Calabria, via P. Bucci, 87030 Rende (CS), Italy; Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, c/o University of Bari, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy

    In this paper we report on the metabolic response of human hepatocytes grown on polyethersulfone membranes surface modified with a plasma-deposited acrylic acid coating and RGD peptide covalently immobilized through a "spacer arm" molecule. The modified surfaces were characterized by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angle measurements. The performance of modified and unmodified membranes was evaluated by assessing the expression of liver specific and biotransformation functions of human hepatocytes. Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was used to investigate the biotransformation functions. Surface-modified membranes elicit specific cellular responses and induce hepatocytes to enhance the synthesis rate of albumin and urea, particularly in the presence of diclofenac. Also the biotransformation functions were expressed at high levels.