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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
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Generation of a Humanized Mouse Liver Using Human Hepatic Stem Cells
Published on: August 29, 2016
Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is dispensable for normal mouse development
Rainer Gallitzendoerfer1, Mekky M Abouzied, Dieter Hartmann
1Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Summary
Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is not essential for mouse development. HDGF-deficient mice show no apparent abnormalities, indicating its in vivo dispensability.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is implicated in organ development, proliferation, angiogenesis, and neurotrophic activity.
- However, the in vivo functions of HDGF remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vivo functions of HDGF by generating and analyzing HDGF-deficient mice.
- To determine if HDGF is essential for normal development and cellular processes in mice.
Main Methods:
- Generation of HDGF-deficient mice by replacing parts of the HDGF gene with a green fluorescent protein (eGFP) gene.
- Assessment of viability, morphological abnormalities, fibroblast proliferation, cell-cycle distribution, and apoptosis rates in HDGF-deficient mice and cells.
Main Results:
- HDGF-deficient mice are viable and exhibit no apparent morphological abnormalities.
- Cultured HDGF-deficient dermal fibroblasts show normal proliferation and cell-cycle distribution.
- Apoptosis rates in HDGF-deficient fibroblasts are similar to wild-type cells under various stress conditions.
- Extracellular HDGF signaling pathways do not rely on intracellular HDGF presence.
Conclusions:
- In vivo HDGF is dispensable for normal mouse development.
- HDGF does not appear to be essential for fibroblast proliferation, cell-cycle progression, or apoptosis regulation in mice.
- These findings challenge previous assumptions about HDGF's critical roles in vivo.
