Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells as a source of human hepatocytes.
Recent observations indicate that several stem cells can differentiate into hepatocytes; thus, cell-based therapy is a potential alternative to liver transplantation. The goal of the present study was to examine the in vitro hepatic differentiation potential of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs). We used AT-MSCs from different age patients and found that, after incubation with specific growth factors (hepatocyte growth factor [HGF], fibroblast growth factor [FGF1], FGF4) the CD105(+) fraction of AT-MSCs exhibited high hepatic differentiation ability in an adherent monoculture condition. CD105(+) AT-MSC-derived hepatocyte-like cells revealed several liver-specific markers and functions, such as albumin production, low-density lipoprotein uptake, and ammonia detoxification. More importantly, CD105(+) AT-MSC-derived hepatocyte-like cells, after transplantation into mice incorporated into the parenchyma of the liver.


CONCLUSIONS
Adipose tissue is a source of multipotent stem cells that can be easily isolated, selected, and induced into mature, transplantable hepatocytes. The fact that they are easy to procure ex vivo in large numbers makes them an attractive tool for clinical studies in the context of establishing an alternative therapy for liver dysfunction.
Banas
Agnieszka
A
Section for Studies on Metastasis, National Cancer Center Research Institute 1-1, Tokyo, Japan.
Teratani
Takumi
T
Yamamoto
Yusuke
Y
Tokuhara
Makoto
M
Takeshita
Fumitaka
F
Quinn
Gary
G
Okochi
Hitoshi
H
Ochiya
Takahiro
T
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting
D015703:Antigens, CD