PubMed ID:
21632825
Public Release Type:
Journal
Publication Year: 2011
Affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.2027811
Authors:
Aoki R,
Brondell K,
Chu AS,
Dorrell C,
Erker L,
Fox A,
Greenbaum LE,
Grompe M,
Kaestner KH,
Schug J,
Shin S,
Smirnova O,
Walton G,
Wells RG
Studies:
A Prospective Database of Infants With Cholestasis
Isolation of hepatic progenitor cells is a promising approach for cell replacement therapy of chronic liver disease. The winged helix transcription factor Foxl1 is a marker for progenitor cells and their descendants in the mouse liver in vivo. Here, we purify progenitor cells from Foxl1-Cre; RosaYFP mice and evaluate their proliferative and differentiation potential in vitro. Treatment of Foxl1-Cre; RosaYFP mice with a 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine diet led to an increase of the percentage of YFP-labeled Foxl1(+) cells. Clonogenic assays demonstrated that up to 3.6% of Foxl1(+) cells had proliferative potential. Foxl1(+) cells differentiated into cholangiocytes and hepatocytes in vitro, depending on the culture condition employed. Microarray analyses indicated that Foxl1(+) cells express stem cell markers such as Prom1 as well as differentiation markers such as Ck19 and Hnf4a. Thus, the Foxl1-Cre; RosaYFP model allows for easy isolation of adult hepatic progenitor cells that can be expanded and differentiated in culture.