Differentiation and transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived hepatocytes.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

The ability to obtain unlimited numbers of human hepatocytes would improve the development of cell-based therapies for liver diseases, facilitate the study of liver biology, and improve the early stages of drug discovery. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, potentially can differentiate into any cell type, and therefore could be developed as a source of human hepatocytes.

Methods

To generate human hepatocytes, human embryonic stem cells were differentiated by sequential culture in fibroblast growth factor 2 and human activin-A, hepatocyte growth factor, and dexamethasone. Functional hepatocytes were isolated by sorting for surface asialoglycoprotein-receptor expression. Characterization was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochem

SUBMITTER: Basma H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2732349 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature