Hepatoma Cell Cultures as In Vitro Models for Hepatotoxicity

This test is designed to detect irreversible toxic effects on both cell growth and survival, by the evaluation of colony-forming (CF) efficiency, in hepatoma cell lines derived from humans, rat, and mouse. The liver is a major target organ for the cytotoxicity of many xenobiotics. It has been suggested that hepatoma cell lines may provide an appropriate in vitro model for the assessment of likely hepatotoxicity in vivo. It should be noted, however, that the usefulness of such systems largely depends on the ability of the cells to maintain differentiated functions.