title: Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cholangiocytes: current status and future applications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells and inducible pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, have high proliferative multipotency for differentiation into mature functional cells that are useful for treatment and basic research on several diseases. Cholangiocytes are differentiated from fetal hepatic progenitor cells (hepatoblasts) and are important for transport of bile acids that are synthesized by mature hepatocytes in the liver. However, the molecular mechanisms of development and function of human cholangiocytes remain unknown. This review mentions the potential of human cholangiocytic culture from pluripotent stem cells to contribute to the analyses of the human bile duct system and diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies found that human hepatic cholangiocytic cells can be differentiated from human embryonic stem and iPS cells in a suitable culture condition. Cholangiocytic cysts have epithelial cell polarity formed in a three-dimensional cell culture system using extracellular matrices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disease pathogenesis was elucidated in vitro using differentiated cells from disease-related iPS cells. Using genome-editing enzymes, iPS cells with disease-specific gene mutations can be easily and rapidly established. These disease-related iPS cells and cholangiocytic culture system may be useful for analyses and drug screening of human bile duct diseases.
authors: Laboratoy of Stem Cell Therapy, Institute of Innovative Science and Technology, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Akihide
authors: A
authors: Kamiya
authors: Hiromi
authors: H
authors: Chikada
mesh_terms: D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins