Year 1
The overall goal of this project is to generate safe and therapeutically effective human induced hepatocyte-like cells from readily accessible cell sources like skin, fat or blood cells. In the first year of this project we have identified genetic factors effective in inducing hepatocyte differentiation of skin and fat cells. We have also identified genetic factors that allow the expansion of these induced hepatocyte-like cells. In addition, we have identified chemical factors that promote the function of human induced hepatocyte-like cells.