Hepatocyte transplantation and repopulation in a model of inherited cholestasis

摘要

In the past, many attempts have been undertaken to support compromised liver function by transplantation with exogenous hepatocytes. The aim of such support may be to relieve a state of acute or chronic liver failure or the correction of a genetic disorder within the liver. This was mainly done in model systems with experimental animals, but hepatocyte transplantations have also been performed in humans. Although much effort has been put into ectopic transplantation, such as in the peritoneum, there is a general consensus now that the optimal site for hepatocyte transplantation is the liver itself. From studies involving hepatocyte transplantation in the liver, either by direct injection into the portal vein or by intrasplenic injection, it has become clear that it is not possible to engraft a large number of hepatocytes. In most cases, the number of successfully engrafted hepatocytes is less than a few percent of the total liver weight. In nearly all cases, this was insufficient to correct the disorder. Thus, methods need to be developed to specifically induce proliferation of the engrafted hepatocytes.