Abstract

Recent advances in cell and molecular biology have provided ways to isolate, culture and manipulate hepatocytes, such as for expressing introduced genes. Moreover, genetically defined animal models have been utilized to localize transplanted hepatocytes in the liver and define their fate. Animal studies showed that transplanted hepatocytes become a part of the host liver, function normally and survive throughout the life span of rodents. Liver repopulation has captured much attention for its potential in treating liver disease, as well as for expressing therapeutic genes for genetic disorders. As further work concerning human hepatocytes comes to completion, significant new applications of hepatocyte transplantation will become established in the near future.

Keywords: treatment, Transplantation, Gene Expression, hepatocyte, Liver