Release of hepatic stimulatory substance from cultures of free and microencapsulated hepatocytes: preliminary report.

The galactosamine induced liver failure animal model was used to study the release of hepatic stimulatory substance (HSS) from free and microencapsulated hepatocytes in culture. Free hepatocyte cultures released HSS which significantly increased DNA synthesis in hepatocyte and the survival time of this animal model. The release HSS was not observed when hepatocytes were microencapsulated in an alginate matrix. The alginate matrix has a pore size which does not allow molecules larger than albumin (64,000 M.W.) to pass through the matrix. This suggests that of the two different ranges of molecular weights suggested for the hepatic stimulatory substance, those in the higher molecular range are important for liver regeneration.