Published online Oct 28, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i40.6757
Revised: July 23, 2013
Accepted: August 17, 2013
Published online: October 28, 2013
Although the liver has a high regenerative capacity, as a result of massive hepatocyte death, liver failure occurs. In addition to liver failure, for acute, chronic and hereditary diseases of the liver, cell transplantation therapies can stimulate regeneration or at least ensure sufficient function until liver transplantation can be performed. The lack of donor organs and the risks of rejection have prompted extensive experimental and clinical research in the field of cellular transplantation. Transplantation of cell lineages involved in liver regeneration, including mature hepatocytes, fetal hepatocytes, fetal liver progenitor cells, fetal stem cells, hepatic progenitor cells, hepatic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood stem cells, have been found to be beneficial in the treatment of liver failure. In this article, the results of experimental and clinical cell transplantation trials for liver failure are reviewed, with an emphasis on regeneration.
Core tip: Although the liver has a high regenerative capacity, as a result of massive hepatocyte death, liver failure occurs. In recent years, there has been extensive experimental and clinical research in the field of cellular transplantation. Transplantation of cell lineages involved in liver regeneration, including mature and fetal hepatocytes, fetal liver progenitor and stem cells, hepatic progenitor and stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood stem cells, have been found to be beneficial for treating of liver failure. Herein, I review the results of experimental and clinical cell transplantation trials for liver failure.