间充质干细胞分化为功能性肝细胞的研究进展

Research progress in the differentiation of mesenchymal stemcells into functional hepatocytes

间充质干细胞（mesenchymalstemcells，MSCs）来源于中胚层问充质，广泛存在于骨髓、脐带组织、脐血、外周血、脂肪等组织中。在特定条件下，MSCs可以分化为骨细胞、脂肪细胞、神经细胞及肝细胞等多种细胞，进而作为一种替代器官移植的新的治疗方法。近年来，肝硬化等终末期肝病的发病率日益上升，成为影响人类健康的重大疾病之一。肝源紧张、免疫排斥限制了肝移植的临床应用。众多研究证实MSCs对肝纤维化、肝硬化等肝病的治疗作用可能与其分化为功能性肝细胞有关，但具体机制尚不十分清楚。本文就MSCs的分化能力及其分化的调控、分子机制和不同来源干细胞对肝纤维化的治疗作用作一综述。

Mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） are a group of stern cells derived from mesodermal mesenchyme. They can be recovered from a variety of tissues, including bone marrow, umbilical cord tissue, umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, and adipose tissue. Under given condi tions, MSCs can differentiate into bone, fat, nerve cells, hepatocytes, and many other cells. Thus, MSCs can be used as a new treatment to substitute for organ transplantation. In recent years, the incidence of end-stage liver disease has been increasing and liver disease has become one of the major diseases affecting human health. Donor scarcity and immu nological rejection limit the clinical application of liver trans- plantation. Numerous studies have confirmed the therapeutic effects of MSCs on hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and other liv er diseases, which may be related to the differentiation of MSCs into functional, hepatocytes. This paper reviews the capacity, regulation, and molecular mechanism of MSC dif- ferentiation, and it discusses the therapeutic effects of differ- ent sources of stem cells for liver fibrosis.