Hepatic tissue generation in rats after subcutaneous transplantation of hepatic spheroids

Objective To seek for the new method for constructing engineered liver tissue by studying the feasibility of generating hepatic tissue in rats after subcutaneous transplantation of hepatic spheroids. Methods Hepatic cells freshly isolated from SD rats were cultured in an agar-coated culture dish. One week after the genrated hepatic spheroids were transplanted into the subcutaneous space of groin in rats by direct injection, groin tissue taken from the rats was stained with H&E to observe its morphology. Results Dense hepatic spheroids were generated after 3 days of culture with a diameter of 43-185 μm. H&E staining showed the natural morphology of hepatocytes in hepatic spheroids. One week after the hepatocytes were transplanted into the subcutaneous space of groin, H&E staining showed that they survived and generated 3-dimensional liver-like tissues in which hepatocytes maintained their natural morphology. Conclusion Subcutaneous transplantation of hepatic spheroids can generate hepatic tissue and is thus a novel method for constructing engineered hepatic tissue.