Stem Cells to Help Create Livers for Organ Recipients

Several media outlets reported on Wednesday that Researchers from Japan made use of human stem cells to create functional human livers similar to those found in fetuses.

Takanori Takebe of the Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine along with colleagues were responsible for mixing a cocktail of induced stem cells made from adult tissue in an attempt to grow buds of human liver.

These induced stem cells were implanted in mice, Dan Vergano from the USA Today reported earlier.

Elizabeth Lopatto, a reporter from Bloomberg said that "the buds did not grow into regular human livers and it appears that stem cell treatments wouldn't be created any time soon".

She added "the buds did not function as human livers but nonetheless demonstrated what may be considered the first few steps to creating new organs for transplants".

Dr. Matthew Smalley, Cardiff University's senior lecturer who was not directly involved to the study believes that the research shows great positive potential and may be helpful in the future.

The entire study underwent rigorous testing where liver cells were mixed with other types of human cells - umbilical cords.

The cells predominantly arrange themselves into a ball as they grew which showed the earliest stages of liver growth in an actual human embryo.

After the buds were implanted under the mice's skin, they matured into what appeared to be an actual adult liver tissue.

The BBC News Health and Science Correspondent, James Gallagher said that the creation of other organs like the pancreas, kidneys and even lungs may be possible but using stem cell as an actual treatment may still require long years of testing.