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  • Review Article
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Human hepatocyte transplantation: current experience and future challenges

Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology volume 7, pages 288–298 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

Hepatocyte transplantation has shown potential as an additional treatment modality for certain diseases of the liver. To date, patients with liver-based metabolic disorders or acute liver failure have undergone hepatocyte transplantation in several centers around the world. Results from individual patients are promising, especially for the treatment of liver-based metabolic disorders, but the lack of controlled trials makes the interpretation of the findings difficult. The current source of isolated hepatocytes is donor organs that are unused or deemed unsuitable for liver transplantation. Hence the major challenge that this field is facing is the limited supply of donor organs that can provide good quality cells. Alternative sources of cells, including stem cells, are under investigation. This Review discusses the current bench-to-bedside issues and future challenges that need to be faced to allow the wider application of hepatocyte transplantation.

Key Points

  • Human hepatocytes are isolated from donor livers that are unused or deemed unsuitable for transplantation

  • Hepatocytes are usually infused intraportally (up to 100 × 106 cells/kg), and conventional immunosuppression regimes are followed (that is, those used after liver transplantation)

  • Limited efficacy and safety has been established for human hepatocyte transplantation in the clinical studies performed so far

  • New methods are needed to improve hepatocyte engraftment and liver repopulation, such as partial hepatic embolization or hepatic irradiation

  • New sources of hepatocytes (for example, stem cells and/or progenitor cells) are needed to increase the number of patients who undergo hepatocyte transplantation

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Liver Transplant Surgeons and Co-ordinators and the Hepatocyte Transplantation team at King's College Hosptial for contributing to the studies to establish hepatocyte transplantation at our center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Paediatric Liver Centre, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 9RS, London, UK

    Anil Dhawan

  2. Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London School of Medicine at King's College Hospital, Bessemer Road, SE5 9PJ, London, UK

    Juliana Puppi, Robin D. Hughes & Ragai R. Mitry

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Correspondence to Anil Dhawan.

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Dhawan, A., Puppi, J., Hughes, R. et al. Human hepatocyte transplantation: current experience and future challenges. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 7, 288–298 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2010.44

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