Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Satisfactory therapeutic effects can not been acquired in treatment of end-stage liver diseases by the routine comprehensive treatments. Therefore, stem cells transplantation for treatment of liver disease has become an interesting issue and has been considered as a new method in treatment of this disease.
OBJECTIVE: To clarify the experimental research and clinical application of stem cells transplantation for liver regeneration.
METHODS: In vitro and in vivo experimental studies regarding liver disease treatment by transplantation of different kinds of stem cells were analyzed, including bone marrow stem cells, embryonic stem cells, adipose stem cells and peripheral blood stem cells. The biological characteristics and functions were compared between normal liver cells and transplanted cells using immunohistological staining, pathological observation and biochemical index detection to determine the treatment effects of stem cells transplantation for the treatment of liver disease.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Bone marrow stem cells, embryonic stem cells, adipose stem cells and peripheral blood stem cells can be induced to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells under certain conditions, and these cells have therapeutic effects on the injured liver and can also promote the repair and regeneration of the liver. Meanwhile, these cells can be used for transgenic therapy in stem cells transplantation. In addition, stem cells transplantation can be used for treatment of various liver diseases without immunological rejections.