Direct conversion of fibroblasts into urothelial cells that may be recruited to regenerating mucosa of injured urinary bladder.

ABSTRACT: Urothelial cells play essential roles in protection of urine exudation and bacterial invasion at the urothelial mucosa, so that defect or damage of urothelial cells associated with urinary tract diseases may cause serious problems. If a sufficient number of functional urothelial cells are prepared in culture and transplanted into the damaged urothelial lesions, such technology may provide beneficial effects to patients with diseases of the urinary tract. Here we found that human adult dermal fibroblasts were converted into urothelial cells by transducing genes for four transcription factors, FOXA1, TP63, MYCL and KLF4 (FTLK). The directly converted urothelial cells (dUCs) formed cobblestone-like colonies and expressed urothelium-specific markers. dUCs were successfully expanded and enriche

SUBMITTER: Inoue Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6761134 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature