[Effects of growth factors and extracellular matrix on proliferation and differentiation of fetal liver progenitor cell in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
Liver development needs a number of growth factors and components of the extracellular matrix. The study is to explore how growth factors and extracellular matrix regulate proliferation and differentiation of fetal liver progenitor cell.


METHODS
We demonstrate isolation of hepatic progenitor/stem cells from ED 14.5 SD rat liver, which contains a large number of hepatoblasts. Proliferation assay-3H thymidine incorporation was used to detect the effect of growth factors on proliferation of hepatic progenitor cell. Growth factor and extracellular matrix were added and stem cell clone formation was counted. Mark of bile duct and hepatocyte were detected with double-marker immunocytochemistry.


RESULTS
Progenitor liver cells displayed clonogenic capacity, expressed markers of hepatocytes and bile duct cells and G-6-P. HGF, EGF can accelerate DNA synthesis and stem cell clone formation of hepatic progenitor cell. Extracellular matrix collagen I, collagen IV or laminin were essential for formation of stem cell clone. Single cell culture needed HGF, EGF, extracellular matrix and supernatant of mix cell (which contained fetal parenchymal cells, mesenchymal cells and hematopoietic cells) culture.


CONCLUSIONS
Growth factors especially HGF and EGF play crucial role in proliferation and differentiation of liver progenitor cell. Some factors secreted from mesenchymal cell and hematopoietic cells may be involved.
Qin
Ai-Lan
AL
Laboratory of Severe Liver Diseases, Rui Jin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200025, China.
Zhou
Xia-Qiu
XQ
Yu
Hong
H
Xie
Qing
Q
Zhang
Wei
W
Guo
Qing
Q
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects
D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor