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Novel Strategies for Immortalization of Human Hepatocytes
Author(s) -
Cascio Stephanie M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1525-1594.2001.025007529.x
Subject(s) - telomere , immortalised cell line , hepatocyte , somatic cell , cell culture , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , cell , life span , telomerase , transplantation , cancer research , genetics , dna , medicine , gene , surgery , evolutionary biology , in vitro
Normal somatic cells have a finite life span due in part to their inability to maintain telomere length and chromosome stability. Immortalization strategies based on recent advances in telomere biology and aging research have led to the creation of genetically stable, nontumorigenic immortalized cell lines. Reversible immortalization, using the Cre‐lox recombination and excision system, has been developed for the expansion of primary cells for cell based clinical therapies. Immortalized human hepatocyte cell lines with differentiated liver functions would find broad applications in biomedical research, especially for pharmacology and toxicology, artificial liver support, and hepatocyte transplantation. The biological basis of these new immortalization methods and their application to human hepatocytes is reviewed.