Improve understanding of the cultureability of hepatocytes and the limitations of producing hepatocytes in a culture. This requires new techniques to expand cells that do not currently expand.
Develop methods to isolate and identify tissue specific stem/progenitor cells.
Understand how to drive differentiation to hepatocytes, Cholangiocytes, and others.
Criteria for successful cell survival and expansion are required.
Media choice to keep all cells expanding/functioning though a heparinized blood analogue would be very useful. Cells will need to be adapted to blood prior to implantation.