Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells, and can proliferate intensively and differentiate into a variety of cell types. However, the hepatic differentiation of human iP...Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells, and can proliferate intensively and differentiate into a variety of cell types. However, the hepatic differentiation of human iPS cells has not yet been reported. In this report, human iPS cells were induced to differentiate into hepatic cells by a stepwise protocol. The expression of liver cell markers and liver-related functions of the human iPS cell-derived cells were monitored and compared with that of differentiated human ES cells and primary human hepatocytes. Approximately 60% of the differentiated human iPS cells at day 7 expressed hepatic markers alpha fetoprotein and Alb. The differentiated cells at day 21 exhibited liver cell functions including albumin Asecretion, glycogen synthesis, urea production and inducible cytochrome P450 activity. The expression of hepatic markers and fiver-related functions of the iPS cellderived hepatic ceils were comparable to that of the human ES cell-derived hepatic cells. These results show that human iPS cells, which are similar to human ES cells, can be efficiently induced to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells.展开更多
基金We thank Dr Zicai Liang and Huang Huang (Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University) for their kind help with BioTek Multi-Detection Microplate Reader and Yizhe Zhang for technical support on real-time PCR. We also thank Chengyan Wang, Pengbo Zhang, Pingping Hou, Haisong Liu, Chun Liu and other colleagues in our laboratory for technical assistance and advice in carrying out these experiments. This study was supported by a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grant (37871), a Ministry of Education grant (705001), the National Basic Research Program of China (973 program, 2009CB522502, 2009CB941200 and 2007CB947901), National Natural Science Foundation of China for Creative Research Groups (30421004), the Chinese Science and Technology Key Project (2008zx10002-014, 2008zx10002- 011 and 2009ZX 10004-403) and a 111 Project to Deng H.
文摘Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells, and can proliferate intensively and differentiate into a variety of cell types. However, the hepatic differentiation of human iPS cells has not yet been reported. In this report, human iPS cells were induced to differentiate into hepatic cells by a stepwise protocol. The expression of liver cell markers and liver-related functions of the human iPS cell-derived cells were monitored and compared with that of differentiated human ES cells and primary human hepatocytes. Approximately 60% of the differentiated human iPS cells at day 7 expressed hepatic markers alpha fetoprotein and Alb. The differentiated cells at day 21 exhibited liver cell functions including albumin Asecretion, glycogen synthesis, urea production and inducible cytochrome P450 activity. The expression of hepatic markers and fiver-related functions of the iPS cellderived hepatic ceils were comparable to that of the human ES cell-derived hepatic cells. These results show that human iPS cells, which are similar to human ES cells, can be efficiently induced to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells.