The physiological, pharmacological and toxicological characterisation of stem
cell-derived hepatocytes is necessary before the cells can be fully utilised.
This will include the use of toxicity/stress reporters, and a small panel of
well-defined chemicals, thereby defining the toxicological purpose for which
each line is suitable. This will position the new cells within a screening
toolbox that could be validated for drug/chemical safety evaluation. The use of
iPSC lines with drug toxicity-relevant mutations and the use of CRISPR
technology to edit genes involved in drug metabolism may also be important in
this regard.
Abbreviation: AOP = Adverse Outcome Pathway