Clinical Feed

IL-22 Unlocks Large-Scale In Vitro Hepatocyte Expansion Via STAT3 Activation

IL-22 acts on epithelial cells such as hepatocytes and activates STAT3, contributing to in vitro hepatocyte expansion research.

GIST

Since its cloning in 2000, interleukin-22 (IL-22) has been extensively studied as a tissue-protective cytokine, particularly in liver diseases. 1 IL-22 is produced by a variety of immune cells, including Th1, Th2, Th17, and Th22 cells, as well as natural killer cells, natural killer T cells, innate lymphoid cells, and mucosal-associated invariant T cells. However, the primary targets of IL-22 are not immune cells but epithelial cells, including hepatocytes, pancreatic acinar cells, and intestinal epithelial cells.

Clinical Editorial

Journal of Hepatology published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 02 Apr 2026. The item focuses on IL-22 unlocks large-scale in vitro hepatocyte expansion via STAT3 activation. Review the original article for the full source wording and details.

Original source: https://www.journal-of-hepatology.eu/article/S0168-8278(26)00189-3/fulltext?rss=yes