Cell-based liver support systems: status and prospect

The liver is responsible for several homeostasis sustaining functions and can lose its regenerative capacity when afflicted with various liver disorders. Attempts to bridge patients to transplantation entail the use of artificial liver devices or cell-based bio-artificial devices. Primary hepatocytes are the preferred cell source, but their scarce availability and loss of function during extended cultures have led the foray for alternate cell sources. Stem-cells present a renewable cell source that can be differentiated into hepatocytes for various clinical applications including extracorporeal liver devices, drug toxicity testing and disease modeling. The path forward includes efforts to further enhance the functional maturity of these stem cell derived hepatocytes and the relevant technology for scaling up these processes. With these in place, stem cell derived hepatocytes have the potential to become standard in regenerative liver therapies in the near future.

► Bio-artificial liver devices are often employed to bridge patients to liver transplantation.
► Stem cells provide a renewable cell source that can be directed toward hepatic fate.
► Efforts are underway to enhance functional maturity of stem cell derived hepatocytes.
► Robust bioprocesses will be essential to deliver large quantities of cells of consistent quality for different clinical applications.