First report of cryopreserved human hepatocytes based bioartificial liver successfully used as a bridge to liver transplantation.

Cryopreserved human hepatocytes could be the best type of cells to be used in a bioartificial liver (BAL) device due to reduced biosafety and biocompatibility risks. Banking of primary human hepatocytes, obtained from livers unwanted for transplantation at harvesting, could be used as a source of human liver cells for BAL treatment. We describe herein for the first time the case of a patient affected by fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) due to acute HBV infection that was successfully bridged to emergency liver transplantation by BAL treatment using cryopreserved primary human hepatocytes.

Isolation of human hepatocytes from livers rejected for liver transplantation on a national basis: results of a 2-year experience.

The offer of liver transplantation to many patients affected by liver failure is limited by organ shortage. Clinical application of human-based liver cell therapies, such as bioartificial liver and hepatocyte transplantation, might support liver transplantation, allowing more patients to be treated and decreasing mortality in the waiting list. The development of a standardized method of hepatocyte isolation is a mainstay for large-scale application of liver cell therapy.