Own human fat will become a source of new cells for liver regeneration
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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From the waste that is obtained in the process of liposuction (pumping out human fat), scientists created hepatocytes and applied them to repair damaged liver cells. At the same time, there was practically no risk of developing cancer cells. This experiment was conducted on mice, but scientists hope to use this technology in public in the near future.
Specialists from the University of Stanford have discovered a new way to regenerate liver cells positively tested in experimental mice. The starting materials were artificially created and non-embryonic cells, which were used earlier in similar experiments, and human fat cells are already in the adult state.
Scientists believe that this method of regenerating liver cells has one, but a significant advantage. Growing hepatocytes from stem embryonic cells or from genetically altered cells is always accompanied by a risk of developing a cancerous tumor. It is this reason that slowed down this technology. But if you get hepatocytes from adult fat cells, skipping the stage of development, the risk is reduced to zero. The liver has an amazing ability to regenerate, a small part of the liver eventually forms a full body, but as a result of alcoholism, hepatitis, or toxicological damage to the liver, the cells' ability to recover is destroyed.
Scientists claim that the process of converting fat cells to liver cells can be successfully applied to humans. The whole period takes about 9 days, this is enough to start the recovery process. Otherwise, a patient without transplantation can die. In the United States alone, more than a thousand people do not wait their turn for liver transplant every year , besides the current process of transplantation is risky, besides that, a person with a donor organ should take immunosuppressants, drugs that suppress the immune response throughout life, to avoid rejection alien organ.
Experts are sure that the method developed by them will be suitable for clinics, since the new liver tissue will consist of the patient's own fat cells. Scientists suggest that after the procedure, the use of immunosuppressants is not needed.
Growth of liver cells from stem fat cells was discovered by the Japanese scientist in 2006. The process of cultivation lasts a long time - about a month, besides it has a low efficiency - only 12% of cells are transformed into hepatocytes, which made it impossible to get a sufficient number of cells for liver repair.
Stanford scientists have developed a new technology, which was called spherical cultivation. This process allows you to get liver cells for 9 days, with a fairly high efficiency, about 50%.
All studies were carried out on mice that had a suppressed immune system (so that human cells would not be rejected). Also, all mice had a certain genetic modification, in which the administration of a certain substance provoked rapid toxic damage to the liver. When administered to mice, 5 million obtained liver cells of a human a month later revealed that human hepatocytes produce albumin contained in the blood plasma of mice. Further observation of the mice during the month showed that the amount of this protein was three times more. Specialists were satisfied with this result, since all previous attempts to grow a human liver in experimental mice resulted in a minimum content of albumin in the blood. Also, a blood test in mice showed that in mice a new liver is capable of filtering blood and purifying it of toxins. After two months from the beginning of the experiment, the mice showed no signs of cancer, while in another experimental group of mice, who were transplanted with hepatocytes from artificial cells, numerous tumors were found.
Scientists believe that in order to adapt technology to humans, it will take 200 billion cells. As the researchers said, 1 liter of drained fat makes it possible to get about a billion such cells, in the body cells will begin to multiply actively, as a result, their amount will be 100 billion, which is quite sufficient for the process of liver restoration. This method allows successfully replacing donor organ transplantation.
Now scientists are preparing a technology for use on larger animals. They suggest that clinical trials can be prepared in the next 2 to 3 years.
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