title: Hepatic differentiation from human embryonic stem cells using stromal cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The derivation of hepatocytes from human embryonic stem (hES) cells is of value both in the study of early human liver organogenesis and in the creation of an unlimited source of donor cells for hepatocyte transplantation therapy. Here, we report the generation of hepatocyte-like cells derived from hES cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hepatic endoderm cells were generated by adding activin A for 5 d- to 1-d-old embryoid bodies formed from hES cells. The hepatic endoderm cells were cocultured with mitomycin treated 3T3-J2 feeder cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After co-culture with mitomycin treated 3T3-J2 feeder cells, these hepatic endodermal cells yielded hepatocyte-like cell colonies, which possessed the proliferation potential to be cultured for an extended period of more than 30 d. With extensive expansion, they co-expressed the hepatic marker AFP and albumin, indicating that they were hepatocyte-like cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report the generation of proliferative hepatocyte-like cells from hES cells. These hES cell derived hepatic cells can effectively be used as in vitro model for studying the mechanisms of hepatic stem/progenitor cell origin, self-renewal and differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ki-Hun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Gyu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young-Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwan-Su
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: In-Ho
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Kye-Yoon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Cheul-Hyung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Dong-Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D058732:Embryoid Bodies / Q000502:physiology; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004707:Endoderm / Q000166:cytology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D016685:Mitomycin