A bioartificial liver--state of the art.

End-stage liver disease is treated by liver transplantation, but donor organ shortages remain a serious problem. This has prompted the design of bioartificial liver devices to "bridge" patients until they either recover or receive a liver transplant. In these devices, patient plasma is circulated extracorporeally through a bioreactor that houses liver cells (hepatocytes) sandwiched between artificial plates or capillaries.