title: Blood-derived stem cells (BDSCs) plasticity: in vitro hepatic differentiation.
abstract: The limited availability of hepatic tissue suitable for the treatment of liver disease and drug research encourages the generation of hepatic-like cells from alternative sources as support for the regenerative medicine. Human blood derived stem cells (BDSCs) express surface markers and genes characteristic of pluripotent stem cells and have the ability to differentiate into different cell types, including tissues of endodermal origin (i.e., liver). Therefore they can represent a valuable source of hepatocytes for medicine. In this investigation, we exploited a fast hepatic differentiation protocol to generate hepatocyte-like cells from human BDSCs using only hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4) as growth factors. The resulting cell population exhibited hepatic cell-like morphology and it was characterized with a variety of biological endpoint analyses. Here, we demonstrate how human BDSCs can be reprogrammed in hepatocyte-like cells by morphological, functional analysis, reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR, and Western Blot assay. This study defines a fast and easy reprogramming strategy that facilitates the differentiation of human BDSCs along a hepatic lineage and provides a framework for a helpful source in the stem cells therapy and liver disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alaimo
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cozzoli
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marfe
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranalli
authors.forename: Dalya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hmada
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gambacurta
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D048430:Cell Shape; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051519:Fibroblast Growth Factor 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010641:Phenotype; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D051519:Fibroblast Growth Factor 4; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D014508:Urea; D006003:Glycogen