| 초록 |
Hepatocyte transplantation has been considered as an alternative to orthotopic liver transplantation. However, it is critical to improve hepatocyte engraftment to minimize the loss of transplanted cells. In this study, we synthesized catechol-functionalized hyaluronic acid (HA-CA) conjugate to prepare a sticky hydrogel for efficient hepatocyte transplantation. The viability of hepatocytes encapsulated in the HA-CA hydrogel was higher than in photopolymerized HA hydrogel. Human hepatocytes could be efficiently transplanted using HA-CA hydrogel onto the liver lobes of athymic mice without injection and the hydrogels were well maintained on the liver for more than 2 weeks. In conclusion, bioinspired, sticky HA-CA hydrogel can be applied to facilitate efficient hepatocyte transplantation. Acknowledgment: This study was supported by a grant (2010-0020409) from the NRF. |
