Using small pieces of human liver that were grown from stem cells, a team led by researchers at Japan’s Yokohama City University was able to significantly restore liver function in mice through only a simple transplant — and they hope to eventually use the same method to save human lives. The team took tiny, lab-grown “liver buds” and inserted them into mice, where within two days the cells hooked into surrounding blood vessels and began performing natural functions of the liver. Though the team has yet to track the long-term health of the mice following the procedure, Nature reports that the animals remained alive and well despite prior liver issues.
via The Verge
Image: RAMA (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
