Generation and Characterization of Rat Liver Stem Cell Lines and Their Engraftment in a Rat Model of Liver Failure
February 2016
in “
Scientific Reports
”
TLDR Researchers created rat liver stem cells that could help repair liver failure in rats and may be useful for studying human liver diseases.
In 2016, researchers generated rat liver stem cell lines that could be engrafted into a rat model of liver failure. These cells, which formed cystic organoids, expressed various stem cell and liver progenitor markers and required specific culture conditions. Upon transplantation into Fah-/-Il2rg-/- rats, the stem cells engrafted and showed potential to differentiate into functional hepatocytes. The study involved 7 rats for the engraftment tests, with successful engraftment in 3 of them. The findings indicated that rat liver stem cells could be a valuable resource for regenerative medicine and for studying liver disease and human metabolic disorders in rat models. Further optimization of the in vitro differentiation conditions for these cells was noted as necessary.
