title: Expression of hepatocyte-like phenotypes in bone marrow stromal cells after HGF induction.
abstract: Bone marrow comprises heterogeneous cell populations, of which certain progenitors have demonstrated the ability to differentiate into multiple mesenchymal cell lineages. This study demonstrates the bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) with intrinsic plasticity to differentiate into hepatocyte-like phenotypes under in vitro induction of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). BMSCs isolated from rat femurs and tibias were cultured and passaged 3-4 times in the presence of HGF. Cells were harvested on days 0, 10, and 20 and subjected to examination of any hepatocyte characteristics by flow cytometry, RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunocytochemistry. Expression of albumin and alpha-fetoprotein at both mRNA and protein levels was detectable on day 10. By contrast, c-Met mRNA was significantly decreased in BMSC in the course of HGF induction. Here BMSC was shown to differentiate into hepatocyte-like phenotypes given the HGF induction, as an alternative source for adult stem cell transplantation in liver repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: P Ping
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Sheung Tat
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Luk
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor