Cultured Kupffer cells, isolated from human and rat liver biopsies, ingest endotoxin.

A technique is described for the isolation and culture of Kupffer cells (Kc) from needle and surgical liver biopsies of humans and rats. The isolation procedure is based on puncture perfusion of the specimen with collagenase and pronase, and subsequent gradient centrifugation. The ultrastructure of the cultured cells is comparable to that of Kc in situ or cell cultures prepared from intact liver. Further investigation revealed that endotoxin is ingested by cultured human and rat Kc, indicating an endotoxin-clearing function of human Kc in vivo. Endotoxin is not taken up by rat endothelial and fat-storing cells in vitro. Human sinusoidal endothelial cells could not be cultured. From the results obtained in this study, the isolation and culture technique described seems to be a promising method for the in vitro study of human or rodent Kc when total intact livers are not available.