TOKYO: Japanese researchers have created a functioning human liver from stemcells, a report said yesterday, raising hopes for the manufacture of artificial organs for those in need of transplants.
A team of scientists transplanted induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into the body of a mouse, where it grew into a small, but working, human liver, Yomiuri Shimbun said.
Stemcells are frequently harvested from embryos, which are then discarded, a practice some people find morally objectionable. But iPS cells – which have the potential to develop into any body tissue – can be taken from adults.
A team led by professor Hideki Taniguchi at Yokohama City University developed human iPS cells into “precursor cells”, which they then transplanted into a mouse’s head to take advantage of increased blood flow.
The cells grew into a human liver 5 millimetres in size that was capable of generating human proteins and breaking down drugs, the Yomiuri reported.
The breakthrough opens the door to the artificial creation of human organs, a key battleground for doctors who constantly face a shortage of transplant donors. — AFP