Method of preparing small hepatocytes preservable in freeze-dried state and method of preserving the same in freeze-dried state

摘要

A method of preparing small hepatocytes is provided. The method is suitable for cryopreservation wherein the hepatic function and proliferation ability of the small hepatocytes is retained. A method of cryopreserving thus prepared small hepatocytes and the cryopreserved small hepatocytes having hepatic functions and proliferation ability are also provided. According to the present invention, small hepatocytes are cultured using a medium supplemented with nicotinamide to form colonies of small hepatocytes in which the small hepatocytes are encompassed by nonparenchymal cells, and then the formed colonies are dissociated from culture dishes as small hepatocytes aggregate by non-enzymatic treatment, suspended in a cryopreservation solution and are cryopreserved. IMAGE