What Is the Artificial Liver?
An artificial liver is a device which is generally made from real human liver cells. Most times it is used to help patients who suffer from acute or chronic liver failure. While the artificial liver is still under development, it shows promise in helping to keep patients alive while waiting on a transplant or during times of illness when the liver is not working at maximum function. The artificial liver is not meant as a permanent substitute for a fully functioning human liver. In many cases it is developed using real liver stem cells in a laboratory to develop liver tissues. These can be inserted into the body to act as an aid to a failing liver. Cells may also be injected into an unhealthy liver to help the organ’s own tissues regenerate themselves. This process is usually reserved for those with acute liver failure rather than chronic or long-term.
