Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Model of Experimental Steatosis In Vitro: Hepatocyte Cell Culture in Lipid Overload-Conditioned Medium
Published on: May 18, 2021
Cholesterol metabolism and expression of its relevant genes in cultured steatotic hepatocytes
Xiao Hong Wang1, Yan Tian, Zhao Jun Guo
1Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College (The General Hospital of Xuzhou Coal Mineral Group), Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Objective:
To investigate the cholesterol metabolism and mRNA expression of the relevant genes in cholesterol synthesis of the cultured steatotic hepatocytes model.
Methods:
A steatotic model of hepatocytes was constructed by adding palmitic acid to the growing L-02 cells. These cells were collected at day 3 and 6, respectively. Cells with the culture solution without palmitic acid added served as the control. The contents of intracellular triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were detected by the analysis kit. The expression of sterol-regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) and its target gene hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGCR) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) were measured by RT-PCR.
Results:
Hepatocyte steatosis was observed at day 3 and became more intense at day 6. The contents of intracellular TG and TC were increased and the expression of the SREBP-2, HMGCR and LDLR mRNA were upregulated in a time-dependent manner in the model group. Compared with the control group, the content of intracellular TG was higher at both day 3 and 6 (P < 0.05), while the content of intracellular TC was significantly increased only at day 6; The expression of HMGCR and LDLR mRNA was upregulated in steatotic hepatocytes at both day 3 and 6 (P < 0.05), whereas the SREBP-2 mRNA was increased only at day 6 (P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Cholesterol accumulation is probably due to the upregulated expression of the relevant genes in the cholesterol synthesis of the steatotic hepatocytes.
Related Concept Videos
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation
Considering cholesterol and...
Cell Specific Gene Expression
Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
Synthesis of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER Membrane
The major components of all eukaryotic cell...

