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Updated: Apr 30, 2026
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Hepatic Progenitor Specification from Pluripotent Stem Cells using a Defined Differentiation System
Published on: May 10, 2020
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Stem and progenitor cell systems in liver development and regeneration.
Akihide Kamiya1, Yutaka Inagaki
1Laboratory of Stem Cell Therapy, Institute of Innovative Science and Technology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan.
Summary
Researchers identified key surface markers for adult liver stem/progenitor cells, enabling their isolation and study. These findings advance understanding of liver regeneration and pave the way for new liver disease therapies.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology
- Liver regeneration mechanisms
- Somatic and pluripotent stem cell research
Background:
- The liver has two stem/progenitor cell systems: fetal and adult.
- Adult hepatic progenitor cells are crucial for liver regeneration but poorly understood.
- Recent advances include culture systems and identification of specific surface markers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize adult hepatic stem/progenitor cells.
- To identify specific surface markers for isolating these cells.
- To explore the potential of pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatic progenitor cells.
Main Methods:
- Established culture systems for hepatic stem/progenitor cells.
- Identified cell surface markers: delta-like 1 homolog (DLK), CD13, CD133, and LIV2.
- Purified cells using antibody-based sorting and analyzed their differentiation potential.
- Differentiated human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into hepatic progenitor-like cells.
Main Results:
- Isolated and characterized hepatic stem/progenitor cells using identified markers.
- Demonstrated that purified cells proliferate extensively and differentiate into mature liver cells in vitro and in vivo.
- Confirmed that CD13(+) CD133(+) fraction of iPSC-derived cells exhibit hepatic progenitor characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Specific surface markers (DLK, CD13, CD133, LIV2) enable isolation of functional hepatic stem/progenitor cells.
- Adult hepatic progenitor cells and iPSC-derived hepatic progenitor-like cells offer potential for liver disease therapies.
- Further analysis of these cells will drive the development of novel regenerative medicine strategies for liver diseases.
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