Derivation of a disease-specific human induced pluripotent stem cell line from a biliary atresia patient

Abstract

Biliary atresia (BA) is a common cause of pediatric end-stage liver disease. While its etiology is not yet clear, evidence has suggested that BA results from interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Disease relevant human cellular models of BA will facilitate identification of both genetic and environmental factors that are important for disease prevention and treatment. Here we report the generation of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line from a BA patient using episomal vectors. Patient-specific BA iPSC lines provide valuable tools for disease mechanism study and drug development.