The isolated hepatocyte preparation, employed in suspension or culture, is now firmly established as a major tool not only for the study of the liver but also for the investigation of a large number of aspects of biology common to many cell types. The Hepatocyte Review provides a comprehensive description of recent advances in methodology and biology pertaining to the isolated hepatocyte preparation, and offers a unique insight into the value of isolated hepatocytes for basic and applied studies. A particular feature is the series of major reviews on growth regulation by hormones and growth factors, cell cycle progression and active cell death. The book also assembles for the first time novel work on the use of hepatocytes for clinical applications in the fields of transplantation, gene therapy and the bioartificial liver. Another important feature is a compilation of methods for isolated hepatocyte preparation from animals other than the rat, and includes several accounts of the isolation of human hepatocytes, which is becoming an increasingly important technique. A number of specialised techniques for hepatocyte manipulation, and a detailed description of new advances in hepatocyte culture, are also included. The Hepatocyte Review is essential reading for any scientist using, or contemplating using, the isolated hepatocyte technique and will also be of major interest to cell biologists in general.