Hollow fibre membrane bioreactor functionalized with GO-cryogel 3D matrix promotes liver cell anchoring and their functional maintenance

The liver support system (bioartificial liver, BAL) is a potentially efficient treatment during reversible acute liver disease or while waiting for a liver transplant. The main challenge in implementing BAL is a bioreactor, which can fulfil the needs of hepatocyte culture, mass transfer and immunobarriers. In the present study, polymer nanocomposite hollow fibre membranes (HFMs) were fabricated using polyethersulphone (P) as a base polymer, vitamin E TPGS (T) as an additive and carboxylated carbon nanotubes (C) as a filler. These PTC HFMs were functionalized with cryogel (Cr), with or without carboxylated graphene oxide (G), known as PTC-Cr or PTC-CrG HFMs, respectively. These HFM substrates were characterized and evaluated for hemocompatibility, cytotoxicity and cellular functionality. Among all the HFM substrates, PTC-CrG HFMs showed superior hemocompatibility and minimal cytotoxicity. Furthermore, a liver cell bioreactor was developed and studied using PTC-CrG HFMs. The goat primary liver cells were seeded in a bioreactor and cultured in continuous mode. The cell functionality was better maintained in the continuous mode as compared to that in the batch culture. The three-dimensional PTC-CrG HFMs-based bioreactor can be used for liver cell bioreactor, bioartificial liver system, drug testing/toxicology metabolic study and mass cell culture.