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Project Liver4Life, organized by the Hubbard Wis Institute and the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, has developed a liver perfusion device that can extend the shelf life of the liver to about a week.
Previously, livers extracted for transplantation could only be stored for about 24 hours. However, according to a paper published in Nature Biotechnology, the device controls blood sugar levels by injecting insulin and glucagon into the liver. In other words, the pancreas plays a role in the liver. The device also has an artificial lung that supplies dialysis membrane oxygen instead of the kidneys, an intestine that supplies other nutrients, and a heart replacement function that sends blood to keep the liver.
After the successful experiment with pig liver, the research team confirmed its function through human livers that are not suitable for transplantation. It is said that 6 out of 10 were kept in full function for a week. Of course, there are still challenges, but as this technology advances, more liver transplants are expected in the future. Since the liver is known to have a powerful regenerative function, the possibility of using this device to completely regenerate and restore part of the patient’s liver is also conceivable. Related information can be found here .
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