Co-culture with mouse embryonic fibroblasts improves maintenance of metabolic function of human small hepatocyte progenitor cells.

ABSTRACT: Derivation and culture of small hepatocyte progenitor cells (SHPCs) capable of proliferating in vitro has been described in rodents and recently in humans. These cells are capable of engrafting in injured livers, however, they display de-differentiated morphology and reduced xenobiotic metabolism activity in culture over passages. Here we report that SHPCs derived from adult primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) and cultured on mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) not only display differentiated morphology and exhibit gene expression profiles similar to adult PHHs, but importantly, they retain their phenotype over several passages. Further, unlike previous reports, where extensive manipulations of culture conditions are required to convert SHPCs to metabolically functional hepatocytes, SHP

SUBMITTER: Sengupta S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8320630 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature