In liver tissue engineering, the development of appropriate extracellular matrix (ECM) is important because hepatocytes are anchorage-dependent cells and they rapidly lose liver-specific functions and viability in vitro. Therefore, it is very important to regulate galactose-mediated hepatocyte recognition to enhance selective interactions between galactose-carrying polymers and hepatocytes and liver-specific functions. In this review, to regulate hepatocyte behaviors by galactose-carrying polymers, the effect of physico-chemical properties of galactose-carrying polymers, cellular environment, medium composition and dynamic culture system were explained. Moreover, to understand the regulation mechanism of hepatocyte behaviors by galactose-carrying polymers, intracellular signal transduction in the hepatocytes by galactose-carrying polymers was also discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.