胚胎肝干细胞的研究进展

Advances in Studies on Embryonic Hepatic Stem Cells

近年来的研究表明在胚胎肝脏中存在大量的肝干细胞,它们在肝脏的发育中起着重要作用,并且受到各种时序性表达基因的调控。几个研究组采用不同的方法,分别从小鼠、大鼠和灵长类动物的胚胎肝脏分离并鉴定了具有双潜能的肝干细胞。就胚胎肝脏的发育、调控机制以及胚胎肝干细胞的分离、鉴定等方面的研究进展作一综述,并对胚胎肝干细胞的应用前景和今后的研究方向作了展望。

Current researches suggest that there exist hepatic stem cells in the embryonic liver and, they play an important role in the development of liver. Different genes controlled distinct phases of liver development during mammalian organogenesis. Several groups have isolated and identified bipotential hepatic stem cells from mouse, rat and primate embryos through different methods. This will provide a promising approach of cell transplantation, tissue engineering and gene therapy. In this review, the liver development and its mechanisms, isolation and identification of hepatic stem cells, application prospects and future directions for the field are discussed.