title: Single-step protocol for the differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells into hepatic progenitor-like cells.
abstract: Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are ideal sources of hepatocyte for transplantation into patients experiencing hepatic failure. Growth and transcription factors were analyzed to design a single-step protocol for the differentiation of iPS cells into hepatocytes. The expression of transcription factors was analyzed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and compared among iPS cells, as well as fetal and adult liver cells. iPS cells were cultured with growth factors and RT-PCR was performed to analyze the expression of transcription factors. iPS cells were introduced with transcription factors, cultured with growth factors and subjected to real-time quantitative PCR. Indocyanine green (ICG) was added to the medium as a hepatocyte marker. Sox17, GATA4, GATA6, FoxA2, HEX, HNF4α and C/EBPα were expressed in fetal and adult liver cells, but not in iPS cells. Sox17, GATA6 and HNF4α were expressed after exposure a combination of oncostatin M, epidermal growth factor, retinoic acid, dexamethasone and ITS (OERDITS). When iPS cells were introduced with FoxA2, GATA4, HEX and C/EBPα and cultured with OERDITS for 8 days, the cells expressed α-fetoprotein, δ-like (Dlk)-1 and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GTP), and ICG uptake was observed. Exposure to FoxA2, GATA4, HEX and C/EBPα and culturing with OERDITS supplementation potentially serves as a single-step inducer for the differentiation of iPS cells into hepatic progenitor-like cells within 8 days.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Gastroenterology.
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomizawa
authors.affiliation: Radiology.
authors.forename: Fuminobu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shinozaki
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology.
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics and.
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sueishi
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, National Hospital Organization Shimoshizu Hospital, Yotsukaido, Chiba 284-0003, Japan.
authors.forename: Takanobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
keywords: growth factor; hepatocyte; transcription factor