biostudies-literatureUnknown22Seidemann LLoss of differentiation of primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) <i>ex vivo</i> is a known problem of <i>in vitro</i> liver models. Culture optimizations using collagen type I and Matrigel reduce the dedifferentiation process but are not able to prevent it. While neither of these extracellular matrices (ECMs) on their own correspond to the authentic hepatic ECM, a combination of them could more closely resemble the <i>in vivo</i> situation. Our study aimed to systematically analyze the influence of mixed matrices composed of collagen type I and Matrigel on the maintenance and reestablishment of hepatic functions. Therefore, PHHs were cultured on mixed collagen-Matrigel matrices in monolayer and sandwich cultures and viability, metabolic capacity, differentiation markers, cellular arrangement anEXCLI journal12-34https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9837384biostudies-literatureOptimization of extracellular matrix for primary human hepatocyte cultures using mixed collagen-Matrigel matrices.PMC9837384Prinz SScherbel JCDamm GSeehofer DGotz CSeidemann LfalseOptimization of extracellular matrix for primary human hepatocyte cultures using mixed collagen-Matrigel matrices.Loss of differentiation of primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) <i>ex vivo</i> is a known problem of <i>in vitro</i> liver models. Culture optimizations using collagen type I and Matrigel reduce the dedifferentiation process but are not able to prevent it. While neither of these extracellular matrices (ECMs) on their own correspond to the authentic hepatic ECM, a combination of them could more closely resemble the <i>in vivo</i> situation. Our study aimed to systematically analyze the influence of mixed matrices composed of collagen type I and Matrigel on the maintenance and reestablishment of hepatic functions. Therefore, PHHs were cultured on mixed collagen-Matrigel matrices in monolayer and sandwich cultures and viability, metabolic capacity, differentiation markers, cellular arrangement an2023-01-01T00:00:00Z20232025-04-04T11:10:36.359Z2025-04-04T11:10:36.359ZS-EPMC98373843666019210.17179/excli2022-5459