[Differentiation of rat bone marrow derived Thy-1+ beta2M- cells into hepatocytes].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the differentiation of bone marrow derived Thy-1(+)beta(2)M(-) cells (BDTC) into mature and functional liver cells and its mechanism.


METHODS
BDTC were cocultured with allyl alcohol (AA)-injured hepatocytes and cultured alone in conditional medium containing HGF and bFGF, respectively. BDTC morphologic transformation was observed with phase-contrast and electron-microscopy. Hepatocyte-specific gene expression in cultured BDTC was identified by immunocytochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Indocyanine green (ICG) ingestion/excretion and urea, albumin production were carried out to evaluate hepatocyte-related function.


RESULTS
Some BDTC derived hepatocyte-like cells with high nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio containing mono- or multi-nuclei and abundant mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and glycogenic granules appeared after 7-day culture in both the two culture systems. These cells expressed hepatocyte-specific genes (AFP, OV-6, CK18, etc.), and possessed functions of ICG uptake, albumin production and ammonium metabolism.


CONCLUSIONS
Rat BDTCs could differentiate into mature and functional liver cells in special stimulation systems. Moreover, these differentiations were realized by "transdifferentiation", and might dispense with "cell fusion".
Wang
Yun-fang
YF
Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
Nan
Xue
X
Li
Yan-hua
YH
Zhang
Rui
R
Yan
Fang
F
Yue
Wen
W
Pei
Xue-tao
XT
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020005:Propanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D053538:Keratin-18; D020005:Propanols; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; C006463:allyl alcohol; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor