Differentiation of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells into hepatocytes in vitro
Issue title: Selected Papers from the 5th China–France International Symposium “Stem Cells: From Bench to Bedside”, 12–14 December 2013, Kunming, China
Affiliations: Biomedical Research Center, First People's Hospital of Kunming (Affiliated Calmette Hospital of Kunming Medical University), Yunnan, China
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Lei Zhang, Biomedical Research Center, Affiliated Calmette Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, China. E-mail: zlei01@hotmail.com
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The stem cell based therapy is a potential alternative to liver transplantation. The aim of the study is to investigate the hepatocytic differentiation ability of human umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUC-MSCs) in vitro. METHODS: The HUC-MSCs were isolated from Wharton's jelly of human umbilical cord. The cells were identified by assessing the stem cell markers. The HUC-MSCs were characterized by multipotency of differentiation. We modified the hepatogenic differentiation protocol and examine the function of differentiated cell by Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) uptake. The protein expressions of Total protein (TP), Albumin (ALB), Globulin (GLB), Urea (BUN) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) were also detected. RESULTS: The cells of the hepatogenic differentiation group showed the function of hepatocyte. Protein expressions of TP, ALB, GLB BUN and AFP improve that the HUC-MSCs are able to different into the functional hepatogenic-like cell. CONCLUSION: The above founding indicated that the HUC-MSCs are able to different into the functional hepatogenic-like cell by present method.
