Methods of Liver Stem Cell Therapy in Rodents as Models of Human Liver Regeneration in Hepatic Failure

Abstract

Cell therapy is a promising intervention for treating liver diseases and liver failure. Different animal models of human liver cell therapy have been developed in recent years. Rats and mice are the most commonly used liver failure models. In fact, rodent models of hepatic failure have shown significant improvement in liver function after cell infusion. With the advent of stem-cell technologies, it is now possible to re-programme adult somatic cells such as skin or hair-follicle cells from individual patients to stem-like cells and differentiate them into liver cells. Such regenerative stem cells are highly promising in the personalization of cell therapy. The present review article will summarize current approaches to liver stem cell therapy with rodent models. In addition, we discuss common cell tracking techniques and how tracking data help to direct liver cell therapy research in animal models of hepatic failure.