ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief summary of our approach to the study of target organ toxicology with in vitro cellular systems. These approaches will be illustrated by cytotoxicity studies using primary cultures of corneal epithelial cells, hepatocytes, and renal cortical epithelial cells. The chapter discusses advantages and disadvantages of primary cultures in toxicity studies. Several measures of toxicity should be used in order to obtain a more thorough understanding of toxicity. In-depth mechanistic studies can be performed during early time periods before toxicity occurs to identify mechanisms of cellular damage. Primary cell cultures, cell lines and cell strains have all been used to evaluate the toxicity of various xenobiotics. Primary cultures of rabbit corneal epithelial cells have been used to evaluate the ocular toxicity of xenobiotics. Primary cultures of rat hepatocytes offer a suitable experimental model for studying the chemical biotransformation, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of drugs, and xenobiotics.
