[Conversion of human umbilical cord blood-derived cells into hepatocyte-like cells in a culture system mimicking hepatic injury].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of the microenvironment induced by damaged mouse hepatic cells on the conversion of human umbilical cord blood-derived cells into hepatocyte-like cells.


METHODS
A hepatic injury-like microenvironment was mimicked using carbon tetrachloride damaged mouse hepatic cells, where mononuclear cells (MNC) from human umbilical cord blood were cultured in a compartment separated by trans-well membrane. Histochemical staining, reversed transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and gene sequencing were performed for the information on the conversion of human umbilical cord blood MNC.


RESULTS
A number of PAS positive stained cells in MNC co-cultured with damaged mouse hepatic cells were observed after 72 h. Cells expressing mature hepatocyte markers, human albumin (hALB) and human GATA-4 (hGATA-4) mRNA were detected by RT-PCR, which was further confirmed with sequencing. Relevant control groups, MNC co-cultured with normal mouse hepatic cells and MNC cultured alone remained negative.


CONCLUSIONS
The culture system using damaged mouse hepatic cells as stimulator could be a potential in vitro system for the conversion of human umbilical cord blood-derived cells into hepatocyte-like cells.
Yu
Jie
J
Central Laboratory, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China.
Zhang
Fang-ting
FT
Wan
Hui-juan
HJ
Ye
Jing
J
Long
Xia
X
Fang
Jia-zhi
JZ
D000418:Albumins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D000418:Albumins; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride