Generation of functional cholangiocyte-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells and HepaRG cells.

ABSTRACT:

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Cholangiocytes are biliary epithelial cells, which, like hepatocytes, originate from hepatoblasts during embryonic development. In this study we investigated the potential of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to differentiate into cholangiocytes and we report a new approach, which drives differentiation of hESCs toward the cholangiocytic lineage using feeder-free and defined culture conditions. After differentiation into hepatic progenitors, hESCs were differentiated further into cholangiocytes using growth hormone, epidermal growth factor, interleukin-6, and then sodium taurocholate. These conditions also allowed us to generate cholangiocytes from HepaRG-derived hepatoblasts. hESC- and HepaRG-derived cholangiocyte-like cells expressed markers of cholangiocytes includin

SUBMITTER: Dianat N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4315871 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature