New hope for liver disease patients: scientists grow new liver cells in the lab for the first time

Image: Nature.com

For the first time after 40 years of trying, scientists are able to grow liver cells by reprogramming skin cells. Diagnoses of liver disease are especially frightening for patients, since it is the fifth largest cause of death in the US and even higher in other countries, and there is such a shortage of donor livers available for transplant. With this breakthrough, scientists are closer than ever to finding new, effective treatments for patients.

The results of this clinical study were published September 1st, 2010, in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.