Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 11, 2025
A Novel Surgical Technique As a Foundation for In Vivo Partial Liver Engineering in Rat
Published on: October 6, 2018
Bioartificial liver: Where lies the path ahead-A review
Qi Jiang1,2,3, Yuanshuai Su1, Xiaoyan Cao4
1State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Bioartificial liver (BAL) systems aim to fully replace liver function, overcoming limitations of current blood purification methods. Genetically modified porcine BAL systems show promise for treating liver failure, advancing therapeutic options.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Hepatology
- Transplantation Biology
Background:
- Liver transplantation is limited by surgical risks and donor organ scarcity.
- Non-bioartificial liver (NBAL) systems offer blood purification but lack the liver's complex biological functions.
- Bioartificial liver (BAL) systems are being developed to emulate a fully functional liver.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current artificial liver support systems and advancements in BAL technology.
- To discuss the potential of genetically modified porcine BAL systems for liver failure treatment.
- To highlight the role of multidisciplinary collaboration in BAL research.
Main Methods:
- Review of current clinical applications of artificial liver support systems.
- Summary of innovative advancements in BAL technology, including hepatocyte sources and bioreactors.
- Discussion of insights from porcine liver xenotransplantation for BAL system design.
Main Results:
- NBAL systems improve cure rates but do not replace all liver functions.
- BAL systems are progressing with optimized cell sources and bioreactors.
- Genetically modified porcine BAL systems present a promising avenue for cell sourcing and bioreactor development.
Conclusions:
- BAL systems offer a potential solution to overcome the limitations of current liver failure treatments.
- Genetically modified porcine BAL systems are a key area of research for future clinical applications.
- Continued multidisciplinary research is crucial for developing effective BAL therapies for liver failure.
