The maintenance of liver cells in vitro for virological and other studies.

Cells from the livers of rats and monkeys were dispersed by enzyme treatment and maintained for weeks in roller tube cultures. Rat liver cells were shown to synthesize urea and monkey cells apparently synthesized RNA and protein—rat cells supported the growth of Sendai virus and monkey cells supported yellow fever virus. Organ cultures of human embryo liver supported the growth of adenovirus type 5 and herpes simplex virus. The Australia antigen serum hepatitis agent failed to grow in human or monkey liver cultures.