Hepatic Stem Cell Transplantation in Liver Failure

Kim, Kyung Sik

doi:2004.47.10.933

J Korean Med Assoc > Volume 47(10); 2004 > Article

Special Issue

Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2004;47(10):933-939.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2004.47.10.933

Hepatic Stem Cell Transplantation in Liver Failure

Kyung Sik Kim

Department of Surgery, Yonsei University of College of Medicine, Severance Hospital, Korea. kskim88@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr

Abstract

Whole or partial liver transplantation has become one of the main treatment strategies for hepatic failure. The availability of a donor liver is the single most limiting factor in liver transplantation. In cell therapy, liver cells have been used clinically to bridge patients to whole organ transplantation and/or as an alternative to whole organ transplants. The crucial property that defines a stem cell is its ability to give rise to a large family of descendants, and at least some hepatocytes do exhibit this pleuripotency. Thus hepatocyte-like cells derived from the bone marrow, embryonal stem cells, or placental sources can also be used. Stem cells of many types have been prodded and cajoled by combinations of growth factors, matrix and culture modifications to identify conditions that favor differentiation or transdifferentiation of stem/progenitor cells into hepatocytes. Additional studies are needed to determine whether hepatocyte-like cells derived from the bone marrow or other sources express the full complement of hepatic functions. If a sufficient number of differentiated hepatocytes can be produced from these stem cells, they could be useful in clinical transplantation programs.

Key Words: Hepatocyte transplantation, Hepatic stem cell, Liver failure