Extracorporeal liver support: porcine or human cell based systems?

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Transplantation Science

Background:

• Significant numbers of donor livers are unsuitable for transplantation due to conditions like steatosis or cirrhosis.
• Acute liver failure patients require bridging therapy, highlighting the need for alternative liver support solutions.
• Current extracorporeal liver support using porcine cells faces controversy regarding the cell source.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of using human liver cells from transplant discards for extracorporeal liver support.
• To demonstrate the efficacy of a novel four-compartment bioreactor in maintaining cell viability and function.
• To propose a sustainable cell-based therapy for patients with acute liver failure.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and purification of primary human liver cells from discarded donor organs.
• Cultivation of cells within a four-compartment bioreactor featuring integrated oxygenation and capillary membranes.
• In vitro cultivation phase for cell stabilization, quality control, and immediate availability without cryopreservation.

Main Results:

• The four-compartment bioreactor facilitates recovery from preservation and isolation injuries.
• Human liver cells remain viable for clinical utilization within the bioreactor system.
• The system avoids patient contact with animal-derived biomatrix and fetal calf serum.

Conclusions:

• Human liver cells derived from transplant discards are a promising alternative for cell-based therapies.
• The four-compartment bioreactor technology enables the clinical use of these cells for extracorporeal liver support.
• This approach can meet the demand for liver support therapy, bridging patients to transplantation.