Promoter-defined isolation and identification of hepatic progenitor cells from the human fetal liver.
Hepatoblasts, which are considered one type of hepatic progenitor cell, reside in the fetal liver. To selectively identify these cells, we transfected primary cultured human fetal liver cells (FLCs) with a pGL3 vector bearing the gene for the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) under the control of the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter expressed in hepatoblasts. The FLCs were then sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) on the basis of AFP promoter-driven EGFP expression. The EGFP-positive cells expressed AFP, albumin, and cytokeratin 19, and could be expanded in vitro. Thus, the AFP promoter-EGFP reporter system is highly useful for identification and isolation of hepatic progenitor cells.
Wang
Ping
P
Department of Cell Biology, Municipal Laboratory for Liver Protection and Regulation of Regeneration, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
Zhang
Haiyan
H
Li
Weihong
W
Zhao
Yongmei
Y
An
Wei
W
D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins