Breakthrough: Human ‘liver buds’ were created inside mice (Picture: Takanori Takebe/PA)

A human liver has been grown inside a mouse, giving hope that patients could receive new organs created from their own skin cells within a decade.

The breakthrough would eradicate donor waiting lists and the risk of the body rejecting a replacement organ.

Japanese scientists used stem cells to create liver ‘buds’ within mice which grew into a piece of human tissue measuring 5mm.

It is hoped the work carried out by researchers at Yokohama City University could also be used to grow other replacement organs.


‘This science opens up the distinct possibility of being able to create mini-livers from the skin cells of a patient dying of liver failure that, when transplanted, would not be subjected to immune rejection as happens with conventional liver transplants today,’ said Prof Malcolm Alison, stem cell biologist at Queen Mary, University of London.



Dr Matthew Smalley, of Cardiff University’s European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, said: ‘The study holds out real promise for a viable alternative approach to human organ transplants.’

James Neuberger, of NHS Blood and Transplant, said the engineering work was ‘very exciting’ but, until organ regeneration becomes a reality, more people should consider becoming organ donors. ‘The UK’s family refusal rate remains one of the highest in Europe so it is vital that people talk about their wish to donate their organs with their next of kin,’ said the authority.

Each year more than 16,000 people die from liver disease in Britain and between 600 and 700 liver transplants are performed. In the past 20 years, the number of people who could benefit from a liver transplant is believed to have increased by 90 per cent but the availability of donor organs has remained unchanged.

Dr Dusko Ilic, of Kings College London, said: ‘Although the promise of an off-shelf liver seems much closer than one could hope even a year ago, the paper is only a proof-of-concept.’