title: [Differentiation of human umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells into low immunogenic and functional hepatocyte-like cells in vitro].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the biological function of hepatocyte-like cells derived from mesenchymal stem cells that isolated from human umbilical cord UC-MSCs in vitro, and to detect the changes in the immunogenicity of the differentiated hepatocyte-like cells (DHC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Transdifferentiation of UC-MSCs into hepatic lineage in vitro was induced in modified two-step induction medium. The expressions of hepatic specific markers were detected by RT-PCR analysis and immunofluorescence staining at different time points after induction. The levels of albumin and urea in the supernatants of cultures were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, the immunosuppressive property of DHC was detected by one-way mixed lymphocyte culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA and proteins of alpha fetoprotein (AFP), albumin (ALB),and cytokeratin-19 (CK-19) were expressed in naive UC-MSCs at low levels. DHC highly expressed hepatic markers AFP, ALB, CK-19, and tryptophan 2, 3-dioxygenase 14 and 28 days after hepatic differentiation and were accompanied by an increased production of ALB and urea in supernatant in a time-dependent manner. DHC did not express human leukocyte antigen DR antigen and significantly decreased the lymphocyte proliferation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UC-MSCs are able to differentiate into functional hepatocyte-like cells in vitro, while the immunogenicity of DHC remains low.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology, CAMS and PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Hong-ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Qin-jun
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Shao-guang
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shi-hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhong-chao
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000166:cytology*