title: Control of growth and expression of differentiated functions of mature hepatocytes in primary culture.
abstract: Since methods to disperse and culture hepatocytes were developed 15 years ago, numerous investigations have shown that primary cultures of mature hepatocytes retain most liver functions and respond as well to various hormones as those in vivo. Thus they are the most suitable system in vitro for studies on the liver. Moreover, recently it was found that differentiated hepatocytes in culture can grow under certain conditions and that this growth is regulated not only by several hormones, such as insulin, epidermal growth factor and serum growth factor, but also by a cell membrane factor and proteins in the environmental matrix through cell contact. This article describes the biochemical characterization of regulatory factors for hepatocyte growth and functions and their reciprocal expression. The mechanisms of liver regeneration, differentiation and carcinogenesis and the importance of the tissue architecture for these events are discussed mainly on the basis of our findings.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ichihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000503:physiopathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003260:Contact Inhibition; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D011392:Proline / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D014366:Tryptophan Oxygenase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D007328:Insulin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011392:Proline; D014366:Tryptophan Oxygenase