Overview

• The metabolic oligosaccharide engineering approach attaches hyaluronic acid and alginate to hepatic progenitor cells, increasing surface stickiness.
• In lab models replicating human liver microtissues and endothelial channels, coated cells showed markedly higher retention than uncoated cells.
• Coatings persist for three to four days, offering a transient adhesion boost while preserving cell viability and capacity to differentiate into functional liver cells.
• Results published July 10 in Communications Biology propose a non-genetic strategy to address the low engraftment rates that limit current liver cell therapies.
• Further studies will adapt the coating method to other cell types and evaluate immune interactions before advancing toward clinical application.