Abstract
Since hepatocytes play an important role in drug metabolism, in vitro tests using human hepatocytes are one of the most important aspects of drug screenings. However, normal human hepatocytes are facing a chronic shortage in research settings. To solve this problem, hepatocytes derived from iPSCs are attracting attention as the alternative cell sources of primary human hepatocytes. However, the function of iPSCs derived hepatocytes is significantly lower compared to that of normal hepatocytes so far. In this review, we introduce the current status and future perspectives of hepatic differentiation and maturation of iPSC cells.
