NIH Research Matters June 28, 2010 Progress Toward an Artificial
Liver Transplant Liver transplantation is currently the only
available treatment for severe liver failure, but there aren’t
enough donors to fill the need. Researchers have now made
transplantable liver grafts for rats that may point the way
toward a successful liver transplant substitute for humans. Your
liver's job is to help fight infections and clean your blood. It
also helps digest food and stores energy for when you need it.
People needing a liver transplant are placed on a national
waiting list kept at the United Network for Organ Sharing. Their
blood type, body size and severity of sickness all play a role
in when they’ll receive a liver. Whole livers can come only from
people who have just died. Currently, there’s an estimated
shortfall of about 4,000 livers per year. Liver cell
transplantation has shown some promise, but has limited uses. To
be successful, an artificial transplant must be sufficiently
large to provide enough liver func