Overview
- The engineered grafts pair hepatocytes with supportive fibroblasts inside uniform hydrogel microspheres produced by a microfluidic device.
- When packed, the microspheres flow through a syringe, then re-form a scaffold in the body that organizes cells and supports their survival.
- Injected into abdominal fat in mice, the grafts became vascularized with new blood vessels forming next to the liver cells.
- Researchers see potential as a bridge to transplant or a less invasive therapy for some liver disorders, with the option for repeat dosing.
- Before human use, teams must address immune rejection and durability, scale manufacturing, refine delivery sites such as near the kidneys or spleen, and run clinical trials.