Intrasplenic Transplantation of Encapsulated Hepatocytes Decreases Mortality and Improves Liver Functions in Fulminant Hepatic Failure from 90% Partial Hepatectomy in Rats

Encapsulated cell therapy might be a promising approach to enable cell transplantation without immunosuppression. This study investigates the viability and hepatic function of hepatocytes encapsulated with alginate/poly-L-lysine in vitro and the effect of the intrasplenic transplantation of cultured encapsulated hepatocytes on survival in 90% hepatectomized rats as a preliminary step toward allogeneic hepatocyte transplantation without immunosuppression.