[21] This site-specific gene regulation is attributable to the unique, complex liver microenvironment, which supplies transplanted hepatocytes with potent hepatotrophic factors and physical links with the extracellular matrix and hepatic non-parenchymal cells. Currently, intraportal infusion is the main delivery route for clinical hepatocyte

transplantation. Hepatocytes from unused donor liver are injected slowly, in either single or fractionated applications. A dose of 0.1 × 109 to 0.35 × 109 cells/kg bodyweight, which is equivalent to 2.5–8.25% of the recipient’s total hepatocyte count, is frequently used. During hepatocyte infusion, portal pressure PF-02341066 research buy increase should not exceed 12 mmHg to avoid severe portal hypertension. Nonetheless, some issues need to be addressed to achieve substantial liver repopulation after hepatocyte transplantation. Great advances have been made in the mechanisms for engraftment and proliferation during hepatocyte transplantation (Fig. 1). Cell

engraftment in the liver involves deposition of transplanted cells in hepatic sinusoids, migration into the space of Disse and integration in the liver parenchyma. A series of engraftment-associated events such as activation of liver non-parenchymal cells, release of inflammatory mediators and hepatic ischemia–reperfusion injury produce both adverse and beneficial effects upon cellular graft. For example, activated Kupffer cells clear a large Opaganib cell line fraction of donor cells from portal spaces within 24 h post-transplant. On the other hand, Kupffer cells release adhesion molecules, such as intercellular or vascular cell adhesion molecules, which promote hepatocyte attachment to the sinusoidal endothelium.[3] The multistep process takes more than a week

before transplanted hepatocytes completely reconstitute plasma membrane structures (including gap junctions and bile canaliculi) and function normally like endogenous hepatocytes. It is observed that no more than 30% of transplanted hepatocytes engraft successfully in the recipient liver. Subsequently, medchemexpress preferential proliferation of engrafted hepatocytes requires two essential conditions: great liver injury or extensive liver parenchymal loss to supply a strong proliferation stimulus and inhibition of mitotic division of endogenous hepatocytes, which will confer a selective advantage to engrafted cells to proliferate. Unfortunately, most of the metabolic liver diseases do not provide a transplantation environment conducive enough to achieve a therapeutic level of liver repopulation.