Research and Beyond – As IIAM has grown, we now support clinical studies with non-transplanted organs
From Donated Liver Cells to a Functional Liver
While most organs and tissues provided by IIAM are used in pre-clinical research, some are supporting research that may ultimately lead to new clinical applications for patients.
This fall, IIAM is highlighting an innovative cell-therapy approach that uses an unexpected biological “bioreactor”: the patient’s own lymph nodes.
Researchers have discovered that hepatocytes—specialized liver cells—can be transplanted into lymph nodes, where they can survive, proliferate, organize, become vascularized, and develop into functional liver tissue. Early studies in animal models demonstrated that this approach could generate ectopic liver tissue capable of providing life-sustaining liver function.
The research is now exploring how these biological principles can be translated into human therapies. IIAM supports this work by providing donated, non-transplanted human livers as a source of viable liver cells.
The concept is particularly compelling because the lymph node is naturally designed to support rapid cell growth and interaction. By leveraging this existing biological environment, researchers aim to overcome one of the major challenges facing cell therapies: establishing a functional blood supply to transplanted cells.
The potential impact is significant. Rather than requiring an entire donor liver for each patient, cells from a single donated organ could potentially provide a cell source for multiple patients. The therapy is also being designed for delivery using endoscopic ultrasound, potentially offering a less invasive alternative to conventional liver transplantation.
This approach could ultimately provide a treatment option for patients with end-stage liver disease who are not candidates for traditional transplantation because of the risks associated with major surgery, prolonged anesthesia, blood loss, or significant cardiovascular and pulmonary complications.
It is a powerful example of how a donated organ can contribute to medical innovation far beyond transplantation—and how human organs supplied by IIAM can help move promising science toward the clinic.