ABSTRACT
The capacity of a drug or chemical to produce hepatotoxicity in vivo is often determined by the interaction of a series of complex cellular processes that are involved in the uptake, metabolism, and elimination of these potentially toxic compounds. Because of the importance of these processes in determining drug- or chemical-induced hepatotoxicity, a better means of evaluating the potential of a compound to produce toxicity in vivo can be obtained by using an in vitro model in which these processes are preserved. This chapter discusses the use of two such in vitro models, the isolated hepatocyte and the isolated perfused liver, for studying drug- and chemical-induced hepatotoxicity. The most commonly used methods for assessment of hepatocyte viability are based on determination of the structural integrity of the cell membrane. The appearance of the isolated hepatocyte can also be used to assess the viability of the hepatocyte preparation.
