G-CSF-primed hematopoietic stem cells or G-CSF per se accelerate recovery and improve survival after liver injury, predominantly by promoting endogenous repair programs.

Objective: On the basis of the recently recognized potential of bone marrow (BM) cells to give rise to hepatocytes, we investigated the possibility that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized BM cells could home to the injured liver and promote tissue repair. We also examined the origin of cells (endogenous or BM) reconstituting liver after damage.

Methods: Acute and chronic liver injury models were generated by injecting CCl4 in C57Bl6 mice and G-CSF was administered in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization doses.