Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2010, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (10): 1865-1868.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2010.10.033

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Application of hepatic stem cell transplantation to liver disease treatment

Xu Gui-juan1, Jia Lian-qun2, Wu Yun-hai1, Yan Ying-chun1, Chen Yang1   

  1. 1Shenyang Municipal Sixth People’s Hospital, Shenyang   110006, Liaoning Province, China;
    2Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang   110032, Liaoning Province, China
  • Online:2010-03-05 Published:2010-03-05
  • About author:Xu Gui-juan, Master, Associate chief physician, Shenyang Municipal Sixth People’s Hospital, Shenyang 110006, Liaoning Province, China Xuguijuan123@163.com

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: At present, the problems such as serious shortage of donor liver organs for transplantation, surgical injury, high incidence of surgical complications, as well as the high costs limit the development of liver transplantation, while the hepatic stem cell (HSC) transplantation provides a new pathway for the treatment of end-stage liver disease.
OBJECTIVE: To introduce the source and classification of HSCs, research progress and problems of HSC transplantation for treatment of end-stage liver disease, and the clinical application prospects of HSC transplantation.
METHODS: Articles were collected from CNKI and Medline database with the keywords of “hepatic stem cells, liver disease, transplantation” in both Chinese and English from 1999 to 2009. Among 87 articles, 30 were included according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Following reading titles and abstracts, original articles, and articles closely related to HSC transplantation with reliable argument and evidence and general analysis were included. Articles of repetitive studies and poor quality were excluded.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The HSC can be divided into liver-derived stem cells and non-liver-derived stem cells. Liver-derived stem cells include hepatic oval cells, mature liver cells and small hepatocyte-like progenitor cell. Non-liver-derived stem cells were mainly derived from embryonic stem cells, bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells and pancreatic stem cells. Currently, the research for the treatment of liver disease by HSC is still in its early stages. There are many difficult issues to be studied and solved in the discovery, separation, purification, comprehensive identification, cultivation, directed differentiation as well as clinical trials. However, as a new source of seed cells, HSC can not only replace the damaged tissue but can stimulate the receptor in tissue regeneration. Hence, compared with the clinical liver transplantation and bio-artificial liver, there are very bright future for the treatment of liver diseases by transplating HSC.

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