MIT engineers have developed injectable "satellite livers" — clusters of hepatocytes combined with hydrogel microspheres — that can be injected into the body without surgery and take over key liver functions. In mouse studies, the grafts remained viable for at least eight weeks, forming connections with nearby blood vessels and secreting liver proteins. The microspheres act as a liquid during injection but solidify in the body, creating a stable niche for the cells. Fibroblast cells are co-injected to support hepatocyte survival and vascularization. The technology could serve as a long-term treatment for chronic liver disease or as a bridge to transplantation for the 10,000+ Americans on liver transplant waitlists. Future work aims to reduce the need for immunosuppressive drugs by engineering immune-evasive hepatocytes or delivering immunosuppressants locally via the microspheres.
