Liver transplantation is the only effective therapy for patients with decompensated cirrhosis and fulminant liver failure. However, due to a shortage of donor livers and complications associated with immune suppression, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies for patients with end-stage liver diseases. Given their unique function in self-renewal and differentiation potential, stem cells might be used to regenerate damaged liver tissue. Recent studies have shown that stem cell−based therapies can improve liver function in a mouse model of hepatic failure. Moreover, acellular liver scaffolds seeded with hepatocytes produced functional bioengineered livers for organ transplantation in preclinical studies. The therapeutic potential of stem cells or their differentiated progenies will depend on their capacity to differentiate into mature and functional cell types after transplantation. It will also be important to devise methods to overcome their genomic instability, immune reactivity, and tumorigenic potential. We review directions and advances in the use of mesenchymal stem cells and their derived hepatocytes for liver regeneration. We also discuss the potential applications of hepatocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells and challenges to using these cells in treating end-stage liver disease.

肝移植是失代偿性肝硬化和暴发性肝衰竭患者的唯一有效疗法。然而，由于供体肝的短缺和与免疫抑制相关的并发症，迫切需要针对终末期肝病患者的新治疗策略。鉴于其在自我更新和分化潜能方面的独特功能，干细胞可用于再生受损的肝组织。最近的研究表明，基于干细胞的疗法可以改善小鼠肝衰竭模型的肝功能。此外，在临床前研究中，植入肝细胞的脱细胞肝支架产生了功能性生物工程肝脏，用于器官移植。干细胞或其分化后代的治疗潜力将取决于它们在移植后分化为成熟和功能性细胞类型的能力。设计克服基因组不稳定性，免疫反应性和致瘤潜力的方法也很重要。我们回顾了间充质干细胞及其衍生的肝细胞用于肝脏再生的方向和进展。我们还讨论了人类多能干细胞衍生的肝细胞的潜在应用以及使用这些细胞治疗晚期肝病的挑战。我们回顾了间充质干细胞及其衍生的肝细胞用于肝脏再生的方向和进展。我们还讨论了人类多能干细胞衍生的肝细胞的潜在应用以及使用这些细胞治疗晚期肝病的挑战。我们回顾了间充质干细胞及其衍生的肝细胞用于肝脏再生的方向和进展。我们还讨论了人类多能干细胞衍生的肝细胞的潜在应用以及使用这些细胞治疗晚期肝病的挑战。