There is no doubt that organ transplantation saves lives, but we are not guaranteed the easy availability of donors; they are rarely found, and this itself is a serious problem at times that necessitates searching for alternatives to avoid the risks involved. Medical technology that can grow "mini-organs" in laboratories might be the solution to liver transplantation needs.
Scientists state, "The artificially cultivated bile ducts behave exactly like real organs and can also repair damaged tissue on their own." The findings have been proven in live mice and are similar to human livers obtained from donors. This recent study paves the way for cellular therapies to treat liver diseases and address the problem of insufficient donor availability. Researchers say that this technology is essential for treating liver diseases and solving the issue of donor scarcity. Lead author of the study, Dr. Fotios Sampaziotis from the Stem Cell Institute, added, "Given the chronic shortage of donor organs, it is important to explore ways to repair damaged organs or even provide alternatives for organ transplantation. We have used organoids for several years to understand biology and diseases or their ability to regenerate in small animals, but we have always hoped to be able to use them to repair damaged human tissues. Our study represents the first study to show, in principle, that this should indeed be possible."
What is the mechanism by which organoids help those in need of liver transplants? Organoids are mini-organs made from human stem cells that can mimic their shape and function. The bile duct is a tube that acts as a waste disposal system in the liver, linking it to the small intestine, and is essential for digesting food.
It is noteworthy that complications or problems in this system lead to up to one-third of adults and 70% of people needing liver transplants, with no alternative treatments available. The National Organ Transplantation Center in the United States has stated that the average waiting time for a new liver can be up to 239 days.
The creation of "miniature bile ducts" as an alternative to restoring the patient’s liver to health is a groundbreaking achievement, being the first of its kind in the world, capable of repairing donor livers to ensure they remain viable for transplantation. Additionally, this new study utilized a "perfusion system" that maintains donor organs outside the body. Researchers injected cultivated bile duct cells into the human liver deemed unsuitable for transplantation due to bile duct damage for repair.
