Schools of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Birmingham, and Liver and Hepatobiliary Unit, University Hospital Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK. a.j.strain@bham.ac.uk
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.