A recent NewAtlas article discussed a unique new clinical trial that involves growing a multitude of mini-livers inside the body. The experimental treatment is intended for end-stage liver disease patients. The liver is a fairly resilient organ with a strong regenerative capacity. It can self-repair after damage incurred from ridding the body of toxins, but an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to liver disease, and eventually require a liver transplant.
Researchers at LyGenesis are working on an alternative treatment to replace transplants, and it involves growing new mini livers elsewhere in the body that can perform the same vital functions. They do this by injecting healthy liver cells from donated organs into a patient’s lymph nodes. They then multiply and grow into mini livers that can support the original liver’s remaining cells. The team has had successful trials with mice, pigs and dogs, and will begin human clinical trials next.
