LIVER STEM CELLS AND HUMANIZED MICE: A NEW MODEL FOR HCV

Stemcells, Inc., Palo Alto CA

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION: This application proposes to use NOD/SCID mice transplanted (intrasplenically or under kidney capsule) with human hepatocytes for HCV infection. The project will first identify hepatocyte subpopulations that are most susceptible to HCV infection, and examine the possible effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on hepatocyte growth in the transplanted mice. The same approach will also be applied to fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) mice to enrich transplanted human hepatocytes. For all of the optimization procedures, hepatitis delta virus (HDV) will be used as a surrogate virus for HCV. Eventually, these humanized mice will be tested for HCV infections. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: NOT AVAILABLE