[Conversion of human umbilical cord blood-derived cells into hepatocyte-like cells in a culture system mimicking hepatic injury].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of the microenvironment induced by damaged mouse hepatic cells on the conversion of human umbilical cord blood-derived cells into hepatocyte-like cells. METHODS: A hepatic injury-like microenvironment was mimicked using carbon tetrachloride damaged mouse hepatic cells, where mononuclear cells (MNC) from human umbilical cord blood were cultured in a compartment separated by trans-well membrane. Histochemical staining, reversed transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and gene sequencing were performed for the information on the conversion of human umbilical cord blood MNC. RESULTS: A number of PAS positive stained cells in MNC co-cultured with damaged mouse hepatic cells were observed after 72 h. Cells expressing mature hepatocyte markers, human albumin (hALB) and human GATA-4 (hGATA-4) mRNA were detected by RT-PCR, which was further confirmed with sequencing. Relevant control groups, MNC co-cultured with normal mouse hepatic cells and MNC cultured alone remained negative. CONCLUSION: The culture system using damaged mouse hepatic cells as stimulator could be a potential in vitro system for the conversion of human umbilical cord blood-derived cells into hepatocyte-like cells.