Table 4.
Commercially available bio-artificial liver devices (BAL).
| Bio-artificial Liver Systems | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Bioactive Functional Cells | Explanation |
| HepatAssist | Cryopreserved Porcine hepatocytes (7 × 109 cells) | Plasma is separated from blood cells and then the plasma is circulated through the bioreactor after first passing through a charcoal filter and an oxygenator. |
| ELAD® (Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device) | Hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2-C3A (200–400 g) | The cells are isolated from the patient’s plasma by hollow-fiber membranes. An integrated charcoal absorber, and a membrane oxygenator supports detoxification and maintains the oxygen supply of the cells. |
| AMC-BAL (Amsterdam Medical Center-Bioartifcial Liver device) | Porcine hepatocytes (10–14 × 109 cells) | The plasma is in direct contact with the cells, lead to better mass exchange between cells and the patient’s plasma. |
| MELS (Modular Extracorporeal Liver Support) | Human hepatocytes (up to 650 g) | The bioreactor is composed of a three-dimensional matrix interwoven with bundles of hollow fibers. The hollow fibers have a molecular cutoff weight of 400 kDa and used to perfuse patient’s plasma adjacent to the functional hepatocytes. |
| BLSS (Bioartificial Liver Support System) | Porcine hepatocytes (70–120 g) | Whole blood, rather than plasma, is passed through the fibers after warming and oxygenation. |