How scientists grow human liver cells in the lab

Our livers work hard every day to keep us healthy, cleaning our blood and helping us digest food. But what happens when the liver gets sick or damaged? Doctors sometimes need healthy liver cells, called hepatocytes, to treat people or to study how diseases affect the liver. The problem is, getting enough of these important cells is tough because there are not many donors. Recently, scientists have developed a new way to grow lots of human liver cells in the lab, which could help solve this challenge and make a big difference for liver health.

Why are human hepatocytes so important?

Hepatocytes are the main cells in the liver. They do many jobs, like breaking down toxins, storing energy, and making proteins our bodies need. Doctors and researchers use these cells to study liver diseases, test new medicines, and even help treat people with liver problems. But since we often depend on donated livers, it is hard to get enough healthy hepatocytes for all these uses. This shortage makes it difficult to advance research and treatments.

How can we grow more liver cells?

The latest research, described in a detailed protocol published in Nature Protocols, shows how scientists can take human hepatocytes from donors—both healthy and those with liver disease—and help them multiply in the lab. These growing cells are called ProliHHs, which stands for proliferating human hepatocytes. Scientists can expand these cells for several weeks until they have a big supply. Then, by placing them in a special three-dimensional (3D) culture, they can help the cells mature and act just like real liver cells in the body.

The science behind expanding hepatocytes

To grow these cells, scientists use a step-by-step method. First, they carefully isolate hepatocytes from a donated liver using a special process (see this procedure). Next, they provide the cells with the right nutrients and environment so they can start multiplying. The expanded cells can be frozen and later revived, keeping their ability to function like normal liver cells. This approach makes it possible to have a ready supply of human liver cells for research and therapy.

Genetic editing for better treatments

One of the most exciting parts of this new method is that these lab-grown hepatocytes can be genetically edited. Scientists can use tools like CRISPR–Cas9 to fix faulty genes or add new ones, making it possible to study inherited liver diseases and test new treatments. For instance, recent studies have shown that correcting disease-causing mutations in patient-derived hepatocytes can offer hope for inherited liver conditions (see the research here).

What it means for patients

This method is a big step for people with liver diseases. By growing and fixing human hepatocytes in the lab, doctors may one day have new options for treating liver failure or inherited liver problems. It will also help scientists test new drugs safely before using them in humans. This is similar to how health AI platforms like SlothMD are helping doctors make better decisions by analyzing medical information and research.

For those interested in how cells work inside our bodies, you might enjoy reading about how snRNA molecules travel inside our cells on SlothMD, which helps us understand how genes are turned on or off and how this can relate to disease.

Challenges and future directions

While this new method is promising, scientists are still working to make sure these lab-grown liver cells are safe and effective for real patients. They are also exploring ways to use these cells for better disease models and drug testing. This could be important for other health conditions too, like heart disease. For example, researchers have found ways to lower heart disease risk by targeting specific molecules in the body, as explained in this SlothMD article about lowering heart disease risk.

Conclusion

The ability to grow and edit human liver cells in the lab is a major step forward for science and medicine. It opens new doors for treating liver diseases, testing medicines, and understanding how our bodies work. This progress, supported by careful research and modern health AI tools like those at SlothMD, gives hope for a healthier future for people with liver conditions.