The role of sinusoidal endothelial cells in regulating hepatoblast proliferation and differentiation in developing human

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Liver failure is a fatal disease. Currently, liver transplantation alone allows recovery to normal life. Sadly, many patients die waiting for a new liver. New treatments are urgently required.Liver stem cell therapy offers a new approach in liver failure. For example, short term liver support may be provided by stem-cell based devices, in a manner analogous to kidney dialysis, to allow recovery of the patient‘s own liver. This would spare liver transplantation for those who cannot be treated by any other means. In those patients who die of liver failure because a donor organ comes too late, this device could act as a bridge to liver transplantation. Cell transplant, rather than liver transplant, may also provide healthy functioning cells. This could be of benefit to fulminant liver failure, as well as metabolic liver disease in children and adults.Sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) are cells lining the blood vessels in the liver. Recent studies indicate that SECs are critical to liver development. This project aims to determine the effect of SECs on liver cell maturation and the normal signals acting on developing liver cells. These data will be central to the development of stem cell therapies for human liver disease.