Serous Membrane Detachment with Ultrasonic Homogenizer Improves Engraftment of Fetal Liver to Liver Surface in a Rat Model of Cirrhosis

Liver transplantation is the most effective treatment for end-stage cirrhosis. However, due to serious donor shortages, new treatments to replace liver transplantation are sorely needed. Recent studies have focused on novel therapeutic methods using hepatocytes and induced pluripotent stem cells, we try hard to develop methods for transplanting these cells to the liver surface. In the present study, we evaluated several methods for their efficiency in the detachment of serous membrane covering the liver surface for transplantation to the liver surface. The liver surface of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV)-deficient rats in a cirrhosis model was detached by various methods, and then fetal livers from DPPIV-positive rats were transplanted. We found that the engraftment rate and area as well as the liver function were improved in rats undergoing transplantation following serous membrane detachment with an ultrasonic homogenizer, which mimics the Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator(®) (CUSA), compared with no detachment. Furthermore, the bleeding amount was lower with the ultrasonic homogenizer method than with the needle and electric scalpel methods. These findings provide evidence that transplantation to the liver surface with serous membrane detachment using CUSA might contribute to the development of new treatments for cirrhosis using cells or tissues.