Special surface ‘tricks’ stem cells to become liver-like cells

Researchers from the Department of Pharmacy at NUS Faculty of Science have developed a novel hydrogel that mimics the surface of a human liver. The hydrogel recreates a surface environment that is more like a normal liver, tricking stem cells into believing that they are touching liver cells and enabling them to replicate into liver-like cells. The liver like cells grown using this method resemble actual liver cells more closely than conventional method, and are less likely to be rejected by the human body.

• The Straits Times, 20 September 2018, Science, pB8