Scientists successfully cultivated functional liver tissue in the lymph nodes of pigs

  The main functional cells of the liver-hepatocytes are a kind of natural regeneration cells, and lymph nodes are the "hotbed" for promoting its regeneration. Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh and other institutions recently published research reports in the international journal "Liver Transplantation" that large animals with livers can use their liver cells to grow new livers in the lymph nodes. I found out having sex. In the next step, researchers will conduct human clinical trials. Researcher Dr. Eric Lagas said that all of this may be related to important locations. When liver cells reach the correct location and require liver function, they form ectopic liver tissue at the lymph node site. Liver cells are usually replenished, but they need a healthy and nutritious environment to regenerate. However, in the advanced stage of liver disease, the patient's liver will be bound by scar tissue, and the cytotoxicity is too great to heal itself.

  About 10 years ago, researcher Lagasse discovered that when healthy liver cells were injected into mouse lymph nodes, they would proliferate to form auxiliary liver tissue, thereby inheriting the original dysfunction caused by genetic causes. I noticed that. This is the liver’s job, but because mice are small, researchers need to study large animals and analyze whether they can grow meaningful secondary liver tissue to overcome liver disease. Have. In order to simulate

  In human liver disease in pigs, researchers divert the main blood supply from the liver while extracting a portion of healthy liver tissue and then extracting liver cells from it. Hepatocytes were injected into the abdominal lymph nodes of the same animal. After the liver function of the last six pigs in the test recovered, the researchers examined the lymph node tissue in the body and found that not only liver cells but also liver cells found that it could be transplanted in liver cells Good reproduction between. It also spontaneously forms a network of bile ducts and vascular system.

  If the original liver tissue of the animal is severely damaged, the auxiliary liver will grow. This shows that animals can maintain the balance of liver mass, rather than grow out of control like cancer. Recent discoveries also found that scientists at the Mayor’s Clinic discovered that healthy liver tissue growing in the lymph nodes of pigs with inherited liver defects migrated to the liver and replaced the disease. Support discovery. These cells can heal the damage that occurs in the liver. Therefore, regardless of the cause of liver disease, from hepatitis to alcoholic liver disease, researchers hope that the auxiliary liver that grows in human lymph nodes can help and repair liver damage and promote its functional recovery.