Chronic liver injury, such as that caused by viral infections, alcohol abuse, or metabolic diseases, leads to liver cirrhosis and liver failure.
The definitive treatment for end-stage liver cirrhosis is liver transplantation. However, liver transplants are not readily available in many cases, and in countries where organ transplantation is available, organ shortages and the high costs associated with transplantation make this an impractical option for many patients.
Stem cell transplantation has been proposed as a potential strategy for patients with liver disease to prevent disease progression and treat those with advanced fibrosis.
Stem cell transplantation, including hematopoietic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), can be manipulated to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells, both in vitro and in vivo.
Among these cell types, cancer stem cells have been shown to have the advantages of being relatively easy to obtain, possessing low immunogenicity, possessing self-renewal capabilities, and being able to differentiate into various cell lineages, including osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. Furthermore, cancer stem cells are considered safe in terms of ethical concerns because they do not originate from somatic cells. Furthermore, cancer stem cell transplantation is considered safe and is widely evaluated in clinical settings for various diseases, with promising results.
