Co-Culture of Rat Embryos and Hepatocytes: 'In vitro' Detection of a Proteratogen

摘要

Rat embryos removed from the dam on day 10 of pregnancy were successfully co-cultivated in vitro with primary cultures of rat, rabbit, or hamster hepatocytes. Embryos co-cultivated with hepatocytes developed normally, as did embryos exposed to a test chemical, cyclophosphamide. In a system where embryos were co-cultivated with hepatocytes and then exposed to cyclophosphamide a dose-related embryotoxicity was observed, indicating metabolic activation of the proteratogen. When similar numbers of hepatocytes were used for metabolic activation of cyclophosphamide, the induced embryo-toxicity was greater in the presence of rabbit and hamster hepatocytes than with rat hepatocytes.