Ever improving stem cell technology has generated so much hope in developing more precise treatments, especially to fatal illnesses like cancer. Experts have successfully grown liver stem cells – primary liver cells that they believe could improve hepatitis and liver cancer treatments. Now that is worth some celebrating!

A sample human stem cell, which provides a novel way to treat diseases (Photo Credit: Creative Commons/ The JCB)

Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Oregon collaborated with experts from Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Research of the Netherlands to investigate on possible methods of liver stem cell culture using samples from mice. They were able to successfully grow a few cell samples into considerable sizes on a dish, an accomplishment that is first of its kind.

Also a high point of their study was transferring the cultured mouse liver cells into a mouse model of a liver that is affected by a disease. To their delight, the cultured liver cells continued to grow inside the model, and showed some signs of healing.

Primary liver cells, also called hepatocytes are the liver’s chief functional cells that perform most of the liver’s complex metabolic tasks. For years, researchers have tried to grown hepatocytes, which could provide significant biomedical advantages, including cell therapy.

For people with liver cancer, this could mean having a safe and credible source of liver cells as an alternative to liver transplant. Experts say that growing hepatocytes could also be useful in ensuring safe drug screening methods.

Stem cell therapy is already a popular intervention for treating blood and immune system conditions, as well as numerous skin diseases. It involves a careful medical procedure of introducing adult cells that are grown from early cells or stem cells, into damaged tissues.

The possibility of liver stem cell therapy, especially for those with chronic liver diseases, could definitely ease the worry of hundreds of people anxiously waiting for liver transplants.