TransCure bioServices offers a humanized liver mouse model developed by engrafting primary human hepatocytes into immunodeficient mice pre-conditioned with a liver injury background. This model supports stable human hepatocyte engraftment, enabling long-term studies of human liver function, metabolism, and pathology. The human liver cells express key functional markers such as human albumin, NTCP, and FAH, and allow infection with human-specific hepatotropic viruses, including HBV, offering a translational platform for antiviral drug testing but also to assess hepatotoxicity, metabolism, and clearance of drug candidates, as well as chronic liver diseases such as MASH or fibrosis.
Main characteristics
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Humanization Process
TK-NOG immunodeficient mice are pre-conditioned with ganciclovir, which activates the thymidine kinase (TK) transgene, selectively inducing apoptosis of mouse hepatocytes and creating space for human cell engraftment. This is followed by intrasplenic injection of healthy primary human hepatocytes, enabling efficient seeding and repopulation of the liver. Approximately 8 weeks post-engraftment, mice are quality controlled by measuring human albumin levels in the blood, which serves as a surrogate marker for the Replacement Index (RI) - a key indicator of the extent of human liver reconstitution.
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Healthy animals
Unlike other humanized liver mouse models, humanized TK-NOG mice do not develop liver tumors for up to one year of age, allowing for a more stable and physiologically relevant liver environment. This extended tumor-free window enables longer-term studies and ensures that liver function and architecture remain closer to the human physiological state, enhancing the model’s translational value for drug metabolism, toxicity, and liver disease research.
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Stable Humanization
Human albumin levels remain stable for at least 8 months post-engraftment, providing a reliable indicator of sustained human hepatocyte function. This long-term stability makes the model particularly well-suited for extended studies, including MASH induction using a Western Diet, allowing researchers to monitor disease progression and therapeutic response over clinically relevant timeframes.
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Double humanization (Human Liver + Human Immune System)
The genetic background of the TK-NOG model allows for the simultaneous engraftment of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells, enabling the development of both a humanized liver and a fully functional human immune system within the same animal. This double humanization creates a powerful and physiologically relevant platform to study immune-liver interactions, evaluate drug efficacy and toxicity, and model complex diseases such as viral hepatitis, MASH, and immune-mediated liver disorders.
Applications
Uncover disease areas for your humanized mouse studies
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Hepatotoxicity
Evaluate potential liver toxicity of your therapeutic in a human liver environment, using primary hepatocyte-engrafted mice.
See the disease model -
HBV
Model hepatitis B virus infection in vivo using human liver-engrafted mice to evaluate anti-viral compound and/or liver cell targeted therapies.
HBV
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Contact usKnow everything about the Humanized Liver Mouse Model
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How scalable is your humanized liver mouse model production?
Our dedicated humanization team currently produces approximately 120 high-quality humanized liver mice per month that successfully pass all quality control (QC) criteria, ensuring consistent engraftment and reliable performance for your preclinical studies. -
What is the availability and diversity of your hepatocyte donor pool
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You have more questions ?
If you have further questions or would like to discuss how our Humanized Liver Mouse models can be tailored to your specific research needs, our scientific team is here to help. We’re committed to providing clear, responsive support and working closely with you to design studies that align with your objectives. Don’t hesitate to reach out - we’re always happy to share our expertise and explore solutions together.
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