De novo formation of the biliary system by TGFβ-mediated hepatocyte transdifferentiation.

ABSTRACT: Transdifferentiation is a complete and stable change in cell identity that serves as an alternative to stem-cell-mediated organ regeneration. In adult mammals, findings of transdifferentiation have been limited to the replenishment of cells lost from preexisting structures, in the presence of a fully developed scaffold and niche¹. Here we show that transdifferentiation of hepatocytes in the mouse liver can build a structure that failed to form in development-the biliary system in a mouse model that mimics the hepatic phenotype of human Alagille syndrome (ALGS)². In these mice, hepatocytes convert into mature cholangiocytes and form bile ducts that are effective in draining bile and persist after the cholestatic liver injury is reversed, consistent with transdifferenti

SUBMITTER: Schaub JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6597492 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature