Primary Hepatic Cells

Here you can find hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells, intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells, hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells. You can also find medium to grow the cells as well as RNA, DNA and protein derived from these cells.

The liver fulfills many vital processes in mammals. It is the central organ of energy metabolism, biotransformation of xenobiotics, and synthesis of plasma proteins under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Primary culture of human hepatocyte appears to be a suitable experimental model for the study of liver specific function, have been and still is an important tool.

Endothelial cells play multiple physiological functions and are central to many pathological processes. The liver contains two distinct endothelial cell types: vascular and sinusoidal. Sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) are microvascular endothelial cells with a unique phenotype reminiscent of dendritic cells and a unique function as antigen-presenting cells for CD4+ T cells. Thus, they are a type of organ-resident "non-professional" antigen-presenting cells that appears to be involved in the local control of the immune response and the induction of immune tolerance in the liver.

Intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells (IBEpiC) line the intrahepatic biliary tree, a complex three-dimensional network of tubular conduits of different diameters within the liver. They comprise only 3-5% of the total population of liver cells, yet produce as much as 40% of the daily output of bile.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSteC) are intralobular connective tissue cells presenting myofibroblast-like or lipocyte phenotypes. They participate in the homeostasis of liver extracellular matrix, repair, regeneration, fibrosis and control retinol metabolism, and release. Following liver injury, HSteC transform into myofibroblast-like cells and are the major source of type I collagen in the fibrotic liver.