Global expression of mouse hepatocytes cultured as monolayers or as three-dimensional aggregates

Three-dimensional (3D) culture of hepatocytes leads to improved and prolonged synthetic and metabolic functions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms were unknown. In order to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying 3D cell-cell interactions in maintaining hepatocyte differentiated functions ex vivo, microarray analyses were performed on primary mouse hepatocytes cultured either as monolayers on tissue culture dishes (TCD) or as 3D aggregates in rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactors. Primary hepatocytes were isolated from mice and cultured on TCDs or within RWVs for 4 hours or 24 hours. Freshly isolated hepatocytes (t0) were used as baseline controls. Each experimental condition has three independent biological replicates.