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Efficient Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Liver Cells
Published on: June 11, 2019
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Efficient Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Liver Cells
Kyle M Loh1, Amrita Palaria2, Lay Teng Ang3
1Institute for Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Stanford-UC Berkeley Siebel Stem Cell Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine.
Journal of Visualized Experiments : Jove
|July 2, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed a method to efficiently generate human liver cells from pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). This breakthrough addresses the scarcity of liver cells, paving the way for new liver failure treatments and disease research.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Liver failure is a severe condition with limited treatment options, partly due to the scarcity of human liver cells for research and therapy.
- Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) offer a potential source for generating various cell types, including hepatocytes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an efficient protocol for differentiating hPSCs into functional hepatocyte-like cells.
- To establish a reliable method for generating a sufficient supply of human liver cells for therapeutic and research applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a developmental roadmap to guide hPSC differentiation into liver cells over six steps.
- Employed small molecules and growth factors in serum-free media for precise control of signaling pathways.
- Focused on promoting liver fate specification while suppressing alternative cell lineages.
Main Results:
- Generated human liver bud progenitors by day 6 and hepatocyte-like cells by day 18 of differentiation.
- Confirmed expression of characteristic hepatocyte enzymes in the differentiated cells.
- Demonstrated successful engraftment of these cells in a mouse model of chronic liver failure.
Conclusions:
- This protocol provides an efficient method for generating large quantities of human liver cells in vitro.
- The generated hepatocyte-like cells hold promise for liver disease modeling, drug screening, and potential cell-based therapies for liver failure.
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