title: Polarisation and functional characterisation of hepatocytes derived from human embryonic and mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: Adult hepatocytes are polarised with their apical and basolateral membranes separated from neighbouring cells by tight junction proteins. Although efficient differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to hepatocytes has been achieved, the formation of proper polarisation in these cells has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were differentiated to hepatocyte-like cells and the derived hepatocytes were characterised for mature hepatocyte markers. The secretion of hepatic proteins, expression of hepatic genes and the functional hepatic polarisation of stem cell-derived hepatocytes, foetal hepatocytes and the HepG2 hepatic cell line were evaluated and the different lines were compared. The results indicate that hESC-derived hepatocytes are phenotypically more robust and functionally more efficient compared with the hMSC-derived hepatocytes, suggesting their suitability for toxicity studies.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Injury and Repair Group, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The Chancellor's Building, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, Scotland, UK ; Tissue Culture Laboratory, Division of Implant Biology, Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala 695012, India.
authors.forename: Anwar Azad
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Palakkan
authors.affiliation: Tissue Injury and Repair Group, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The Chancellor's Building, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Richard Alexander
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, SCRM Building, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greenhough
authors.affiliation: Tissue Culture Laboratory, Division of Implant Biology, Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala 695012, India.
authors.forename: Kumary
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tv
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, SCRM Building, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: David Colin
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.affiliation: Tissue Injury and Repair Group, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The Chancellor's Building, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, Scotland, UK ; MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, SCRM Building, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: James Alexander
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ross
keywords: bile canaliculi; differentiation; hepatocyte; polarity; sandwich; stem cells; tight junction