Protocol to generate human liver spheroids to study liver fibrosis induced by metabolic stress

Abstract

Summary: Currently, there is no effective treatment for obesity and alcohol-associated liver diseases, partially due to the lack of translational human models. Here, we present a protocol to generate 3D human liver spheroids that contain all the liver cell types and mimic “livers in a dish.” We describe strategies to induce metabolic and alcohol-associated hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. We outline potential applications, including using human liver spheroids for experimental and translational research and drug screening to identify potential anti-fibrotic therapies. : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.

Keywords

• cell isolation
• metabolism
• organoid