Cited by 839Liver physiology and pathologyTissue Engineering and Regenerative MedicineDrug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Protection

Long-Term Expansion of Functional Mouse and Human Hepatocytes as 3D Organoids

Open access
Hu, Huili, Gehart, Helmuth, Artegiani, Benedetta, LÖpez-Iglesias, Carmen, Dekkers, Florijn, Basak, Onur, van Es, Johan, Chuva de Sousa Lopes, Susana M. +12 more·2018·Cell

Abstract

The mammalian liver possesses a remarkable regenerative ability. Two modes of damage response have been described: (1) The "oval cell" response emanates from the biliary tree when all hepatocytes are affected by chronic liver disease. (2) A massive, proliferative response of mature hepatocytes occurs upon acute liver damage such as partial hepatectomy (PHx). While the oval cell response has been captured in vitro by growing organoids from cholangiocytes, the hepatocyte proliferative response has not been recapitulated in culture. Here, we describe the establishment of a long-term 3D organoid culture system for mouse and human primary hepatocytes. Organoids can be established from single hepatocytes and grown for multiple months, while retaining key morphological, functional and gene expression features. Transcriptional profiles of the organoids resemble those of proliferating hepatocytes after PHx. Human hepatocyte organoids proliferate extensively after engraftment into mice and thus recapitulate the proliferative damage-response of hepatocytes.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cell.2018.11.013

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  • The formation of organoids recapitulates a 3D in vivo-like microenvironment that may compensate for the lack of structural support for tissue formation in the damaged extracellular matrix environment when used as xenografts.

    “the formation of organoids also recapitulate a 3D in vivo‐like microenvironment that may well compensate for the lack of structural support for tissue formation in the damaged extracellular matrix environment when used as xenografts.[ 18 , 19 ]”

    From Sweat Gland Organoids Originating from Reprogrammed Epidermal Keratinocytes Functionally Recapitulated Damaged Skin (2021) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Summary (p. 3) describes a 3D organoid culture that retains key hepatocyte features, and the engraftment results (p. 13) show that its cells repopulate damaged mouse livers. The paper does not say that organoids compensate for deficient structural support in damaged extracellular matrix. Indeed, the engraftment methods (pp. 12, 24) say the organoids were digested into single cells before transplantation, rather than used as intact 3D xenografts. (LLM, conf=0.89)

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  • Hepatocyte-derived organoids undergo an initial 30-day quiescent phase post-transplantation, followed by rapid and extensive liver repopulation akin to that of primary hepatocytes.

    “Hu et al. demonstrated that hepatocyte-derived organoids undergo an initial 30-day quiescent phase post-transplantation, succeeded by rapid and extensive liver repopulation akin to that of PHs [16].”

    From The Hepatocyte Expansion Paradox: A Review of In Vitro Challenges and Advances (2026) · cites this paper as [16]

    The section “Human Hep-Orgs Engraft and Repopulate Damaged Mouse Liver” (p. 12) reports stable serum human albumin for the first 30 days in mice receiving fetal organoids, followed by graft proliferation at the same rate as primary-cell controls. It also reports an initial lag and subsequent proliferation for organoids derived from primary human hepatocytes (p. 13), but does not establish that their lag lasted 30 days or that either graft was strictly quiescent. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Multiplexed CRISPR base-editing is versatile and flexible for cancer modeling across several epithelial tissues by mutating liver, endometrium, and organoids.

    “We further demonstrate the versatility and flexibility of multiplexed CRISPR base-editing for cancer modeling across several epithelial tissues by mutating liver, endometrium, and organoids32–34.”

    From One-step generation of tumor models by base editor multiplexing in adult stem cell-derived organoids (2023) · cites this paper as [33]

    The Highlights (p. 2) identify this paper as a study of mouse and human hepatocyte organoids, supporting its citation for liver organoids. The paper does not report multiplexed CRISPR base-editing, endometrial organoids, or cancer modeling across several epithelial tissues; the citing authors describe that demonstration as their own. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Functional intestinal organoids have a relatively thick mucus layer because mature goblet cells secrete mucus.

    “Furtherly, functional intestinal organoids exhibit a relatively thick mucus layer due to mucus secretion from mature goblet cells122, which can be detected by Alcian blue (AB) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining123,124.”

    From Organoids (2022) · cites this paper as [124]

    The section on murine hepatocyte organoids (p. 5) describes liver-derived organoids, not mucus-producing intestinal organoids. Searches for goblet cells and mucus found no passage addressing the claimed thick mucus layer. Figure 2 (p. 7) uses PAS staining to assess glycogen in hepatocyte organoids, not intestinal mucus. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Hu, H., Gehart, H., Artegiani, B., LÖpez-Iglesias, C., Dekkers, F., Basak, O., van Es, J., Chuva de Sousa Lopes, S. M., Begthel, H., Korving, J., van den Born, M., Zou, C., Quirk, C., Chiriboga, L., Rice, C. M., Ma, S., Rios, A., Peters, P. J., de Jong, Y. P., & Clevers, H.
Affiliations
  • Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (NL)
  • Weill Cornell Medicine (US)
  • Rockefeller University (US)
  • NYU Langone Health (US)
  • University of Hong Kong (HK)
  • Princess Máxima Center (NL)
  • Maastricht University (NL)
Corresponding author
Clevers, Hans
Venue
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-11
Volume
175
Issue
6
Pages
1591-1606.e19
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2903148550
Cited by
837
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 74 · 2025: 114 · 2024: 141 · 2023: 122 · 2022: 118 · 2021: 134 · 2020: 95 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 1
FWCI
41.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • KNAW research portal (Royal Academy of Art and Sciences (KNAW)) (submittedVersion)
  • KNAW Research Portal (The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • MKMD (114021012)
  • Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO-ZonMw
  • Koerber Foundation
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (31501179)
  • Foundation for Outstanding Young Scientist in Shandong Province (BS2014SW004)
  • Future Scientist Program of Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC
  • NWO-ZonMW (016.166.119)
  • NWO/VENI (863.15.015)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Liver physiology and pathology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmacology › Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Protection
Keywords
hepatocyte organoids, 3D organoid culture, primary hepatocytes, partial hepatectomy, hepatocyte proliferation, liver regeneration, cholangiocytes, engraftment, mouse hepatocytes, human hepatocytes
MeSH terms
Animals, Cells, Cultured, Humans, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Organoids, Stem Cells, Time Factors, Mice, Knockout, Cell Culture Techniques, Hepatocytes, Cell Proliferation, Mice

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