title: The fetal liver as cell source for the regenerative medicine of liver and pancreas.
abstract: Patients affected by liver diseases and diabetes mellitus are in need for sources of new cells to enable a better transition into clinic programs of cell therapy and regenerative medicine. In this setting, fetal liver is becoming the most promising and available source of cells. Fetal liver displays unique characteristics given the possibility to isolate cell populations with a wide spectrum of endodermal differentiation and, the co-existence of endodermal and mesenchymal-derived cells. Thus, the fetal liver is a unique and highly available cell source contemporarily candidate for the regenerative medicine of both liver and pancreas. The purpose of this review is to revise the recent literature on the different stem cells populations isolable from fetal liver and candidate to cell therapy of liver diseases and diabetes and to discuss advantages and limitation with respect to other cell sources.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Semeraro
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cardinale
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carpino
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Venere
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gatto
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brunelli
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gaudio
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, 2 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy ; 4 Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy ; 5 Eleonora Lorillard Spencer-Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alvaro
keywords: Fetal liver; biliary tree stem/progenitor cells; cell therapy; diabetes mellitus; hematopoietic stem cells; hepatic stem/progenitor cells; hepatoblasts; liver cirrhosis