Potential of human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in studies of liver disease

Abstract

Liver disease is a leading cause of death in the Western World. However, our insight into the underlying disease mechanisms and development of novel therapeutic agents has been hindered by limited availability of primary tissue, intra-species variability associated with the use of animal models and reduced long-term viability of isolated and diseased liver cells. The emergence of hIPSCs (human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells) and differentiation protocols to generate hepatocyte-like cells has opened the possibility of addressing these issues. Here we discuss the recent progress and potential in the production of various cell types constituting the liver and their applications to model liver diseases and test drug toxicity in vitro.