Research progress in the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into functional hepatocytes / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a group of stem cells derived from mesodermal mesenchyme.They can be recovered from a variety of tissues,including bone marrow,umbilical cord tissue,umbilical cord blood,peripheral blood,and adipose tissue.Under given conditions,MSCs can differentiate into bone,fat,nerve cells,bepatocytes,and many other cells.Thus,MSCs can be used as a new treatment to substitute for organ transplantation.In recent years,the incidence of end-stage liver disease has been increasing and liver disease has become one of the major diseases affecting human health.Donor scarcity and immunological rejection limit the clinical application of liver transplantation.Numerous studies have confirmed the therapeutic effects of MSCs on hepatic fibrosis,cirrhosis,and other liver diseases,which may be related to the differentiation of MSCs into functional hepatocytes.This paper reviews the capacity,regulation,and molecular mechanism of MSC differentiation,and it discusses the therapeutic effects of different sources of stem cells for liver fibrosis.