Description

Generating human liver organoids from induced pluripotent stem cells requires careful coordination of cell confluence, stage-specific differentiation signals, aggregate size, extracellular matrix embedding, and medium changes. Variability at any of these steps can affect organoid formation, morphology, and the reproducibility of downstream liver development or disease-modeling studies.

XR Liver Organoid Differentiation Kit is a chemically defined, stage-specific differentiation system designed to guide human pluripotent stem cells through sequential hepatic lineage induction and three-dimensional liver organoid formation. The workflow uses six designated media, supplied as Liver Organoid Differentiation Media A through F, to support a structured differentiation process from adherent hPSC culture to matrix-embedded human liver organoids.

The protocol begins with human iPSCs at approximately 80% confluence in a 6-well plate. Cells are exposed sequentially to differentiation media A, B, C, and D before being collected as aggregates, adjusted to approximately 100 μm in diameter, and embedded in an organoid culture matrix. Media E and F are then used to support three-dimensional organoid formation and continued maturation through Day 20 and beyond.

This human iPSC liver organoid differentiation kit provides a standardized workflow for laboratories studying human liver development, hepatic lineage differentiation, liver disease modeling, and liver organoid-based drug screening.

Specifications

Product Name	XR Liver Organoid Differentiation Kit
Reference	XR-iLiverOrg-Kit
Product Type	Human pluripotent stem cell liver organoid differentiation kit
Starting Cell Type	Human pluripotent stem cells, including human induced pluripotent stem cells
Culture Format	Adherent differentiation followed by 3D matrix-embedded organoid culture
Differentiation Format	Sequential six-medium workflow using Media A–F
Starting Confluence	Approximately 80% iPSC confluence in a 6-well plate
Recommended Aggregate Size	Approximately 100 μm in diameter before matrix embedding
3D Culture Plate	24-well plate
Matrix Dome Volume	100 μL per well
Matrix Polymerization	30 minutes at 37°C
Differentiation Period	Day 0 through Day 20+
Observed Markers	HNF4α and albumin (ALB)
Intended Use	Research use only

Kit Components

Component	Volume	Workflow Stage
Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium A	6 mL	Day 0 initial differentiation
Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium B	6 mL	Day 1 differentiation
Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium C	6 mL	Day 2 differentiation
Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium D	12 mL	Day 3–5 hepatic lineage differentiation
Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium E	20 mL	Day 6–10 matrix-embedded organoid formation
Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium F	50 mL	Day 11–20+ liver organoid maturation

Important: The source protocol requires an organoid culture matrix for three-dimensional embedding. The matrix is not listed among the supplied A–F differentiation media and should be prepared separately according to the laboratory’s validated workflow.

Features

Stage-specific liver organoid differentiation medium system for human pluripotent stem cells
Six designated media support sequential differentiation from adherent iPSC culture to mature 3D liver organoids
Chemically defined differentiation system designed to reduce the need for manual preparation of multiple induction formulations
Structured Day 0 to Day 20+ workflow for hepatic lineage induction, organoid formation, and maturation
Combines two-dimensional early-stage differentiation with matrix-embedded 3D liver organoid culture
Supports formation of liver organoids displaying HNF4α and albumin expression in the supplied product data
Suitable for human liver development, hepatic differentiation, disease-modeling, and drug-screening research
Defined medium sequence helps laboratories standardize timing and medium transitions across experiments

Liver Organoid Differentiation Workflow

The following workflow summarizes the protocol supplied with the XR Liver Organoid Differentiation Kit. Culture performance can be influenced by the starting cell line, cell condition, confluence, aggregate uniformity, matrix handling, and laboratory-specific culture practices.

Day 0: Initial Differentiation

Begin differentiation when iPSCs in a 6-well plate reach approximately 80% confluence. Add 2 mL of Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium A per well and culture for 24 hours.

Day 1: Medium B

Replace Medium A with 2 mL of Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium B per well.

Day 2: Medium C

Replace Medium B with 2 mL of Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium C per well.

Day 3–5: Medium D

Replace the culture medium with 2 mL of Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium D per well. Change the medium every other day during this stage.

Day 6–10: 3D Liver Organoid Formation

Gently detach the differentiated cells using a pipette and adjust the resulting cell aggregates to approximately 100 μm in diameter. Collect the aggregates by centrifugation and combine them with an organoid culture matrix according to the required seeding density.

Dispense 100 μL of the matrix-cell suspension into the center of each well of a new 24-well plate. Incubate at 37°C for 30 minutes to allow the matrix to polymerize, then gently add 700 μL of Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium E per well. Replace the medium every other day.

Day 11–20+: Organoid Maturation

Replace Medium E with Liver Organoid Differentiation Medium F. Continue changing the medium every other day until the liver organoids reach the desired maturation stage.

Human iPSC liver organoid differentiation timeline showing Day 3 Day 6 Day 12 and Day 20 organoid morphology

Performance Data

Morphological Development During Differentiation

The supplied product data show progressive changes during the differentiation workflow. Early-stage cultures are shown at Day 3 and Day 6, followed by the appearance of multiple three-dimensional organoid structures at Day 12. By Day 20, the cultures display numerous rounded liver organoid structures distributed throughout the matrix.

The illustrated workflow is organized into sequential phases consisting of iPSC culture, endoderm differentiation, a prehepatic stage, and liver organoid maturation. These observations provide visual evidence of organoid formation under the reported differentiation conditions but should not be interpreted as a guaranteed outcome for every human pluripotent stem cell line.

Hepatic Marker Expression

Immunofluorescence images supplied with the product show expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) and albumin (ALB) in differentiated organoid cultures. HNF4α is commonly evaluated in hepatic lineage studies, while albumin expression is used as an indicator of hepatocyte-associated differentiation.

HNF4 alpha and albumin immunofluorescence in human iPSC derived liver organoids

Applications

Human iPSC-derived liver organoids provide a three-dimensional experimental platform for investigating hepatic differentiation and organ development in a controlled in vitro environment. The XR Liver Organoid Differentiation Kit is designed for research workflows that require a standardized transition from pluripotent stem cells to matrix-embedded hepatic organoid cultures.

Human liver development research: Study sequential changes associated with endoderm induction, hepatic lineage specification, liver organoid formation, and continued maturation.
Human iPSC liver differentiation: Generate hepatic organoid cultures from human induced pluripotent stem cells using a stage-specific A–F medium workflow.
3D liver organoid culture: Establish matrix-embedded hepatic organoids for studies requiring three-dimensional cell organization rather than conventional monolayer culture alone.
Liver disease modeling: Develop human iPSC-based liver organoid models for investigating disease-associated cellular and developmental phenotypes.
Drug screening research: Use human liver organoids as an in vitro research platform for evaluating compound responses under experimentally validated conditions.
Liver toxicity studies: Support exploratory assessment of treatment-associated effects in human hepatic organoid models after appropriate assay qualification.
Hepatic marker analysis: Evaluate differentiation-associated markers such as HNF4α and albumin using immunofluorescence or other validated analytical methods.
Stem cell differentiation research: Investigate how human pluripotent stem cells transition through endodermal and hepatic lineage stages in vitro.
Organoid protocol development: Use the supplied workflow as a foundation for laboratory-specific optimization of seeding density, aggregate handling, matrix conditions, and maturation duration.
Comparative liver model studies: Compare organoid morphology or marker expression among different human iPSC lines under controlled culture conditions.

Why Use a Stage-Specific Liver Organoid Differentiation System?

Human liver organoid generation is a multistep process rather than a single-medium culture procedure. Early differentiation stages require coordinated changes in signaling conditions, while later stages depend on consistent aggregate preparation, extracellular matrix embedding, and three-dimensional maturation.

The XR Liver Organoid Differentiation Kit organizes these requirements into six designated media with defined transition points. This format can help reduce preparation complexity and provide a more consistent framework for human iPSC liver differentiation experiments. The workflow also separates early adherent differentiation from later 3D organoid culture, allowing researchers to monitor morphology at key stages before and after matrix embedding.

Because differentiation efficiency can vary among human pluripotent stem cell lines, users should maintain consistent starting-cell quality, confirm appropriate iPSC confluence, control aggregate diameter, and validate hepatic differentiation using laboratory-selected morphology, marker, or functional assays.

FAQ

What is the XR Liver Organoid Differentiation Kit used for?

The XR Liver Organoid Differentiation Kit is used to guide human pluripotent stem cells, including human iPSCs, through a staged differentiation workflow that produces three-dimensional liver organoid cultures for research applications.

Can this kit be used to generate human iPSC liver organoids?

Yes. The supplied protocol begins with adherent human iPSC cultures and uses sequential differentiation media followed by matrix embedding to support human iPSC-derived liver organoid formation.

How long does liver organoid differentiation take?

The documented workflow begins at Day 0 and continues through Day 20 or longer. Early differentiation occurs during Days 0–5, matrix-embedded organoid formation begins during Days 6–10, and Medium F is used from Day 11 through Day 20 and beyond for continued maturation.

What starting iPSC confluence is recommended?

The supplied protocol recommends beginning differentiation when iPSCs in a 6-well plate reach approximately 80% confluence.

What media are included in the liver organoid differentiation kit?

The kit contains six stage-specific components: Liver Organoid Differentiation Media A, B, C, D, E, and F. The supplied volumes are 6 mL, 6 mL, 6 mL, 12 mL, 20 mL, and 50 mL, respectively.

Does the protocol use two-dimensional or three-dimensional culture?

It uses both. Initial hepatic differentiation is performed in adherent 6-well plate culture. During Days 6–10, cell aggregates are embedded in an organoid culture matrix and transferred to a 24-well plate for three-dimensional liver organoid culture.

Is an organoid culture matrix required?

Yes. The supplied protocol requires differentiated cell aggregates to be combined with an organoid culture matrix before three-dimensional culture. The matrix is not listed among the supplied A–F media and should be obtained separately.

What aggregate size is recommended before matrix embedding?

The protocol recommends controlling the cell aggregate diameter at approximately 100 μm before centrifugation and matrix embedding.

How much matrix-cell suspension is added to each well?

The documented workflow uses 100 μL of matrix-cell suspension placed in the center of each well of a 24-well plate. The matrix is then polymerized for 30 minutes at 37°C before medium is added.

Which hepatic markers are shown in the product data?

The supplied immunofluorescence images show HNF4α and albumin expression in the differentiated liver organoid cultures.

Can these human liver organoids be used for drug screening?

The kit is intended to generate a human liver organoid research model that may be used in drug-screening studies. Each laboratory should validate organoid quality, assay performance, and compound-response criteria for its specific experimental design.

Can this kit support liver disease modeling?

Yes. Human iPSC-derived liver organoids may be used as an in vitro platform for liver disease-modeling research, subject to the characteristics of the selected iPSC line and the laboratory’s disease-specific validation strategy.

Are results expected to be identical across different iPSC lines?

No. Differentiation efficiency, morphology, marker expression, and maturation can vary among human iPSC lines. Starting-cell quality, passage history, confluence, aggregate size, matrix handling, and culture technique should be controlled and optimized as needed.

Research Use Only: This product is intended for laboratory research and is not intended for diagnostic, therapeutic, or clinical use.

XR iPSC-Derived Liver Organoid Differentiation Kit