In Vitro System for Studying Metabolism of Environmental Chemicals in Human Cells
Abstract
The objective of the project is to establish and use an in vitro liver model from rodents and humans to develop quantitative data on the metabolism of toxic chemicals. In the third year of the project, liver slices from rat and human liver were compared to evaluate their capacity for chloroform metabolism. It was observed that the weight (an indication of the slice thickness) of the liver slices was inversely related to the rate of chloroform metabolism, suggesting that metabolism was limited by diffusion into the tissue in the thicker slices. Using the thinnest slices possible, the kinetic constants for chloroform metabolism by rat and human liver slices were determined. The V max valuesforchloroforinmetabolismwere2.82 + or - 0.79 nmol/min/g tissue and 2. 91 + or 0. 99 nmol/min/g tissue, with rat and human liver, respectively and the K. values were 25.5 + or - 18.4 nmol/flask and 8.33 + or - 1.9 nmol/flask, rat and human liver, respectively. Rat hepatocytes incubated under similar conditions metabolized chloroform with a V max of 10 nmol/min/g and a K m of 93 nmol/flask. In summary, the liver slice system was readily adaptable to investigation of the metabolism of volatile chemicals.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 25, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA284174
Entities
People
- Carol E. Green
Organizations
- SRI International