Biomarker to Rare Liver-Regenerating Stem Cells

Healthy livers can regenerate their tissue in response to mild to moderate injury, by activating a special type of stem cell that is capable of differentiating into either mature liver cells or those that line the bile duct. These stem cells have great therapeutic potential for thousands of people with severe liver damage. According to Science Daily, 17,000 Americans are currently awaiting liver transplants.

The problem lies in isolating the rare stem cells so they can be cultured and re-implanted, a techiques that has already been shown effective for enhancing liver tissue growth, but scientists at the University of Pennsylvania reported a new biomarker this month that can be used for locating the elusive cells. The marker is a protein called FoxL1, expressed by the stem cells. Not much is known at this point, about how and why the protein is expressed, only that having a means to detect it may save the lives of many sufferers of liver disease.

_Sources:

Stem Cells with Potential to Regenerate Liver Tissue Identified. Science Daily, November 17, 2008.