title: Hepatogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells from peritoneal adipose tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been reported that functional hepatogenic differentiation has the possibility to occur in subcutaneous adipose tissue-derived stem cells. However, no studies have investigated whether the adipose tissue-driven stem cells present in various body parts differ according to hepatogenic differentiations. In this study, stem cells were separated from body visceral fat and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, and cultured, and then hepatogenic differentiation was induced. We aim to investigate the possibilities and aspects of hepatogenic differentiations within the two types of fat cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Omental fat tissues were obtained as visceral fat and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissues were obtained from patients who had suction-assisted lipectomy. Stem cells were separated from the obtained fat tissues, and then, hepatogenic differentiation was carried out by utilizing 2-step differentiation protocols.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the differentiation, two types of cultured cells that showed the similar neuron-like shapes were changed to cuboidal shapes and included several binucleated cells which could be characteristics of mature hepatocytes. We confirmed that hepatocyte specific genes and proteins such as albumin and CYP3A4 were being expressed. By utilizing the ELISA test, we were able to observe that the albumin was secreted into the culture fluids in both cells. After completing the differentiation, we observed the presence of the hepatocyte specific properties by confirming glycogen storage within the cells and the ICG reagent uptake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirmed that hepatogenic differentiation was possible to occur in the omental fat as well as subcutaneous adipose tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Ho
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Il-Young
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Hepatogenic differentiation; Omental fat; Stem cell; Subcutaneous adipose tissue