WASHINGTON -- Researchers have found that some mature liver cells come from bone marrow cells, a discovery that opens up new avenues for gene therapy and novel types of transplants for failing livers, according to a new study.
The study, which was conducted on mice, found that up to about 2 percent of liver cells, called hepatocytes, were generated from bone marrow. Previously, scientists disagreed on whether liver stem cells even existed, said Neil Theise, a researcher at the New York University School of Medicine who led the study.The findings, in combination with previous studies, nail down the existence of liver stem cells, said Theise.
"If we can isolate these cells, we have targets for gene therapy and the possibility of stem cell transplantation, rather than whole organ transplantation," she said.
Theise also said that there's a possibility that scientists might be able to culture the cells in a lab to create an artificial liver.
The research team, from the New York University School of Medicine and Yale University's School of Medicine, will publish its findings in the January edition of Hepatology, the journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
The study "radically alters the way we look at liver regeneration," he said.
While the research looks promising, it remains to be seen whether bone marrow cells can generate liver cells in humans.