Directed differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into functional cholangiocyte-like cells.
The difficulty in isolating and propagating functional primary cholangiocytes is a major limitation in the study of biliary disorders and the testing of novel therapeutic agents. To overcome this problem, we have developed a platform for the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into functional cholangiocyte-like cells (CLCs). We have previously reported that our 26-d protocol closely recapitulates key stages of biliary development, starting with the differentiation of hPSCs into endoderm and subsequently into foregut progenitor (FP) cells, followed by the generation of hepatoblasts (HBs), cholangiocyte progenitors (CPs) expressing early biliary markers and mature CLCs displaying cholangiocyte functionality. Compared with alternative protocols for biliary differentiation of hPSCs, our system does not require coculture with other cell types and relies on chemically defined conditions up to and including the generation of CPs. A complex extracellular matrix is used for the maturation of CLCs; therefore, experience in hPSC culture and 3D organoid systems may be necessary for optimal results. Finally, the capacity of our platform for generating large amounts of disease-specific functional cholangiocytes will have broad applications for cholangiopathies, in disease modeling and for screening of therapeutic compounds.
Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Anne McLaren Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.|Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK.|Department of Hepatology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Fotios
F
Sampaziotis
Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Anne McLaren Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Miguel Cardoso
MC
de Brito
Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Anne McLaren Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Imbisaat
I
Geti
Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Anne McLaren Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Alessandro
A
Bertero
Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK.
Nicholas Rf
NR
Hannan
Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Anne McLaren Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.|Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK.|Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK.
Ludovic
L
Vallier
D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000166:cytology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*