Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell–derived Hepatocytes From Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Display a Disease-specific Gene Expression Profile

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of liver disease worldwide. Animal models are widely used to investigate the mechanisms of fatty liver disease, but they do not faithfully represent NAFLD in humans.1 Thus, there is strong interest in studying NAFLD pathogenesis directly in humans whenever possible. Some researchers have used embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from individual human subjects to generate complex liver platforms that model an NAFLD-like state in culture.