title: Management of Liver Failure: From Transplantation to Cell-Based Therapy.
abstract: The severe shortage of deceased donor organs has driven a search for alternative methods of treating liver failure. In this context, cell-based regenerative medicine is emerging as a promising interdisciplinary field of tissue repair and restoration, able to contribute to improving health in a minimally invasive fashion. Several cell types have allowed long-term survival in experimental models of liver injury, but their therapeutic potential in humans should be regarded with deep caution, because few clinical trials are currently available and the number of patients enrolled so far is too small to assess benefits versus risks. This review summarizes the current literature on the physiological role of endogenous stem cells in liver regeneration and on the therapeutic benefits of exogenous stem cell administration with specific emphasis on the potential clinical uses of mesenchymal stem cells. Moreover, critical points that still need clarification, such as the exact identity of the stem-like cell population exerting the beneficial effects, as well as the limitations of stem cell-based therapies, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy," National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy; †Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Francipane
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy," National Research Council (CNR) , Palermo , Italy.
authors.forename: Melchiorre
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cervello
authors.affiliation: ‡ Istituto Mediterraneo Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Italy , Palermo , Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Vizzini
authors.affiliation: ‡ Istituto Mediterraneo Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Italy , Palermo , Italy.
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pietrosi
authors.affiliation: † Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, University of Palermo , Palermo , Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montalto
keywords: Bone marrow-derived stem cells; Endothelial progenitor cells; Fetal liver stem cells; Induced pluripotent stem cells; Intrahepatic stem cells; Mesenchymal stem cells