title: Generation of hepatocytes from human embryonic stem cells.
abstract: Use of human hepatocytes for therapeutic and drug discovery applications is hampered by limited tissue source and the inability of hepatocytes to proliferate and maintain function long-term in vitro. Human embryonic stem (hES) cells are immortal and pluripotent and may provide a cell source for functional human hepatocytes (1) Here we have outlined some of the protocols currently in use for the generation of hepatocytes from hES cells.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases Kings College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Niloufar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Safinia
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Minger
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods