Fig. 4

The therapeutic effects of induced hepatocytes (iHeps) on acute liver failure. a Schematic diagram of cell transplantation into the livers of NPG mice. NPG mice were intraperitoneally injected with carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) to trigger fulminant hepatic injury. Eight hours after CCl₄ treatment, human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) and iHeps (1 × 106 cells/animal, 300μL) were intravenously injected into the mice and control animals received equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). b Kaplan-Meier survival curve of NPG mice with acute liver failure. c, d Serum levels of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) (c) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST) (d) in CCl₄-treated mice before (day 0 (d0)) and after (d7) transplantation of hADSCs or iHeps. e Serum levels of human albumin (ALB) before (d0) and after (d7) transplantation of hADSCs or iHeps. The albumin antibody is human specific. f, g Livers in CCl₄-treated mice 8 h later; PBS, hADSCs, and iHeps were intravenously injected into the mice. Macroscopic images of freshly isolated livers (f) and hematoxylin and eosin staining of liver sections (g) are shown after treatment. The liver has already recovered from hepatitis by the seventh day. Arrows represent CCl₄-induced hepatitis and hemorrhage in the liver. h The integration of iHeps in mice livers was determined by immunostaining for human HepPar1 in serial sections. i Human-specific Alu sequences were analyzed by PCR using genomic DNA extracted from iHep-repopulated mice livers. Scale bars = 5 mm (f) and 100 μm (g, h). Data are presented as mean ± SD