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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
An Efficient Method for Directed Hepatocyte-Like Cell Induction from Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Published on: May 6, 2021
[Induction of hepatic specification of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) in vitro]
Min Wang1, Hai-yun Pei, Li-dong Guan
1Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
Objective:
To induce hepatic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) in vitro.
Methods:
hADSCs were isolated from human adipose tissue and treated with improved hepatic medium containing HGF, bFGF and FGF4. After 7 days of culture, OSM was added to the culture media. Cell growth during hepatic differentiation was evaluated by CCK8 assay. Morphology of differentiation was examined under light microscope. Liver specific genes and proteins were detected by RT-PCR analysis and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. And functional characteristics of hepatocytes were also examined.
Results:
The number of hADSCs cultured in the improved hepatic media was increased significantly in comparison to hADSCs cultured in control media from 5 days to 21 days (t=6.59, 8.69, 15.94 and 24.64, respectively, P<0.05). The hADSCs-derived hepatocyte-like cells exhibited hepatocyte morphology, expressed hepatocyte markers, possessed hepatocyte-specific activities, such as uptake and excretion of indocyanine green, glycogen storage and albumin production.
Conclusion:
hADSCs can be induced into hepatocyte-like cells in this differentiation system. And this differentiation system promoted the growth of hADSCs.
