Liver Buds and Liver Organoids: New Tools for Liver Development, Disease and Medical Application

Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2019 Dec;15(6):774-784. doi: 10.1007/s12015-019-09909-z.

Abstract

The current understanding and effective treatment of liver disease is far from satisfactory. Liver organoids and liver buds (LBs) transforming cell culture from two dimensions(2D) to three dimensions(3D) has provided infinite possibilities for stem cells to use in clinic. Recent technological advances in the 3D culture have shown the potentiality of liver organoids and LBs as the promising tool to model in vitro liver diseases. The induced LBs and liver organoids provide a platform for cell-based therapy, liver disease models, liver organogenesis and drugs screening. And its genetic heterogeneity supplies a way for the realization of precision medicine.

Keywords: Liver buds; Liver organoids; Medical application.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical*
  • Humans
  • Liver / cytology*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / physiology
  • Liver Diseases / drug therapy
  • Liver Diseases / pathology*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Organogenesis*
  • Organoids / cytology*
  • Organoids / drug effects
  • Organoids / physiology
  • Precision Medicine