The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for culturing a population of hepatocytes in vitro, comprising co-culturing the population of hepatocytes with at least one non-parenchymal cell population and incubating the co-culture in culture medium, wherein the co-culture is periodically incubated in culture medium that does not comprise serum (serum-free culture medium).

Provided are a method and a technique for kinetic analysis of a compound such as a drug, using a cell. Specifically, disclosed is a method for kinetic analysis of a compound using a cell. The method includes a CE step of feeding a first buffer solution to a container containing a target compound and housing a cell, adjusting and keeping the internal temperature of the container to a first temperature, and adjusting the internal temperature of the container to a second temperature lower than the first temperature. Amounts S and S′ of the compound in the first buffer solution are measured at a time interval t1 in the CE step, and based on the amounts S and S′ and the time interval t1, an excretion rate of the compound excreted from a basal/basolateral face of the cell is determined.

The present disclosure concerns methods of detecting injury to a tissue and/or organ in a subject. In some aspects, the subject is the recipient of a transplant, such as a liver transplant. In some aspects, the subject is undergoing treatment with an immunosuppressant. In some aspects, the present disclosure concerns the identification of aberrant mitochondria in the subject to identify injury to the tissue and/or organ of the subject. Detecting aberrant mitochondria allows for remedial and/or corrective action to prevent or avoid significant injury.

The invention features a method of identifying therapeutically relevant compositions which include a therapeutic agent and 2,2-dimethylaminomethyl-[1-3]-dioxolane by screening for an effect of the agent on the liver of a model subject.

The present invention includes methods for identifying chemotherapy treatments specifically suited for each cancer patient using mini-cancers to develop personalized cancer drug regimes.

The present invention provides a simple and robust human liver cell-based system in which persistent hepatitis C infection, persistent hepatitis B infection or ethanol exposure induces a clinical Prognostic Liver Signature (PLS) high-risk gene signature. The cellular model system for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)/cirrhosis development and progression may be used in the screening of compounds useful in the treatment and/or prevention of cirrhosis and/or HCC as well as in the identification biomarkers for the prediction of liver disease (especially cirrhosis) progression and HCC. The present invention also relates to specific compounds that have been identified, using such screening methods, as useful in the treatment and/or the prevention of HCC/cirrhosis.

Microfluidic devices for modeling three-dimensional tissue structures and methods for making and using the same are described herein.

The invention relates to methods of using variants of fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) for reducing bile acid synthesis in a subject having cirrhosis.

The present invention relates to a porcine sodium taurocholate cotransporter polypeptide (NTCP) mutein, which has been modified at sequence positions 157-167 with the human sequence. This NTCP mutein renders a host cell and a transgenic animal susceptible for an infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis D virus (HDV). The present invention further relates to a nucleic acid and a vector comprising the NTCP mutein of the invention. Also presented are methods for producing cells and transgenic animals, which are susceptible to HBV and/or HDV as well as uses of the NTCP mutein screening for compounds or rendering a cell susceptible for an infection with HBV and/or HDV. Additionally provided is a method for identifying a compound, which is useful in the prevention and/or treatment of HBV and/or HDV infection.

The present invention is related to high-content microscopy imaging of microfluidic cell culture systems. A method of high-content microfluidic device microscopy is contemplated, along with related statistical analysis and microfluidic device adaptors.