Prospects for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Hepatocytes in Cell Therapy

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, first established in 2006, have the same characteristics of self-renewability and pluripotency as embryonic stem (ES) cells. iPS cells are inducible from patient-specific somatic cells; therefore, they hold significant advantages for overcoming immunological rejection as well as the ethical issues associated with the derivation of ES cells from embryos. Generation of patient-derived hepatocytes by iPS technology and their use in cell transplantation therapy for patients with liver disease is quite attractive. Here, we discuss recent advances and challenges in hepatocyte differentiation from iPS cells and their utility in cell therapy.