We have come closer to saving people by liver from the laboratory

The liver raised from the lab can save many lives. In the recent study, although it was not possible to completely replace the natural liver, cultured liver performed some key functions of the liver. That means that the cultured liver can extend the life of the person waiting for the organ transplant until it finds the liver from the donor.

The research team includes several US research institutes. They created sub-sections of liver tissue, then transplanted into mice with damaged liver. Observations showed that the transplanted liver could grow up to 50 times and perform some of the main functions of normal liver.

"Our goal is to someday use this technology to increase the number of organ transplants for patients, which is currently very limited," said MIT senior researcher Sangeeta Bhatia .

Human liver tissue is cultured.(Source: Bhatia Lab).

Bhatia and colleagues designed a structure that stimulates cell growth, attaching three types of cells before transplanting into mice. In other words, the researchers created small liver tissue to fill the void (functionally) damaged by the liver (even if intact).

The three types of cells used include: hepatocytes (hepatocytes) that perform the main functions of the liver, fibroblasts that help form tissue structures, and endothelial cells that form blood vessel. After transplantation, this group of cells receives ambient signals, creating blood vessels and more liver cells.

A healthy human liver has about 100 billion liver cells. Researchers believe that a culture organ will need about 10-30% of it to work on the body.

At the time of transplant, scientists have found signs that all of the main functions of the liver, such as regulating metabolism, body detoxification, bile production, are working at a level. somehow. This result opens hope to people with chronic liver disease or those who are waiting for organ transplants.

The structure of the liver is highly complex.

Researcher Kelly Stevens said: 'Liver is second only to the brain in terms of complexity.' However, the liver is one of the few organs that can regenerate itself, which is the basis for growth promotion. as shown above.

In the US, about 17,000 people are waiting for a liver transplant. Dave Gobel, CEO of Methuselah Foundation on implants, said the study proved quite promising although it is still in the "very early" stage .

This study was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.