Hepatocyte transplantation

Isolated hepatocyte transplantation has long been recognized as a potential treatment for life-threatening liver disease. The basis for proceeding with clinical trials has been established by the extensive laboratory work in animal models. Human hepatocyte transplantation has been applied in individual cases and very small, uncontrolled series. Data, although sparse, demonstrate the safety and feasibility of this approach and are supportive, if less than conclusive, of effectiveness. The experience of hepatocyte transplantation in the laboratory and clinical arenas is reviewed and discussion will examine what is believed to be the primary cause for the slow growth of this technology in the clinical setting, namely a severe shortage of usable primary human hepatocytes. The potential of isolated hepatocyte transplantation remains largely untapped and awaits alternate sources of cells for transplantation other than those from discarded human cadaveric livers.