Purification of hepatocyte couplets by centrifugal elutriation.

An initial preparation of rat hepatocytes containing approximately 30% couplets was enriched by centrifugal elutriation. Of the couplets loaded onto the elutriator, 87% were eluted at medium flow rates of 60 to 80 ml/min at a rotor speed of 1,100 rpm; cells eluted in this range maintained a viability of more than 95%. Peak fractions were enriched in couplets to 84.5% +/- 2.5%. After elutriation, couplets retained the ability to secrete fluorescent cholephiles into sealed canalicular vacuoles. The preparation can now be used in hepatobiliary and hepatotoxicity studies not possible with preparations in which they are minor components.