Author(s)

Jingyi Cui

School of Life Sciences, University College London, London, UK.

There is a considerable demand but limited supply for hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in clinics. To meet clinical needs of HSCs, new efforts focus on de novo HSCs generation from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Although previous attempts have yielded precursors and progenitors of HSCs, the production of fully functional HSCs has largely been unsuccessful. The failure of PSC-derived HSCs to mature to foetal liver stage is not surprising, as most methods are trying to generate hemogenic endothelium resembling that found in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region, highlighting the importance of understanding human foetal liver niche and developing protocols to mimic this environment. This paper investigates the diverse cellular interactions within the fetal liver niche that contribute to HSC maturation and explores the potential for generating human fetal liver organoids that can recreate these supportive environments in vitro. Such organoids could provide a groundbreaking model for studying HSC maturation and potentially offer a scalable solution for the ex vivo production of functional HSCs, paving the way for advances in both regenerative medicine and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC), HSC Maturation, Fetal Liver Niche, Fetal Liver Organoid

Cui, J. (2024) Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche in Foetal Liver and Production of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Liver Organoids. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 12, 433-456. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2024.1211035.