Original Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2012; 18(27): 3511-3519
Published online Jul 21, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i27.3511
Hepato-biliary profile of potential candidate liver progenitor cells from healthy rat liver
Cédric Maerckx, Isabelle Scheers, Tatiana Tondreau, David Campard, Omar Nyabi, Mustapha Najimi, Etienne Sokal
Cédric Maerckx, Isabelle Scheers, Tatiana Tondreau, David Campard, Omar Nyabi, Mustapha Najimi, Etienne Sokal, Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
Author contributions: Maerckx C and Scheers I performed the majority of experiments and wrote the manuscript; Campard D and Najimi M designed the study; Tondreau T, Nyabi O and Sokal E coordinated the study and were also involved in editing the manuscript.
Supported by Fonds pour la formation à la recherche dans l’industrie et dans l’agriculture (FRIA)
Correspondence to: Etienne Sokal, MD, Professor of Medicine, Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy, Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, 52, Avenue Mounier, Tour Vésale +3, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. etienne.sokal@uclouvain.be
Telephone: +32-2-7641387 Fax: +32-2-7648909
Received: February 8, 2011
Revised: October 15, 2011
Accepted: May 12, 2012
Published online: July 21, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the presence of progenitor cells in healthy adult rat liver displaying the equivalent advanced hepatogenic profile as that obtained in human.

METHODS: Rat fibroblastic-like liver derived cells (rFLDC) were obtained from collagenase-isolated liver cell suspensions and characterized and their phenotype profile determined using flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and functional assays.

RESULTS: rFLDC exhibit fibroblastoid morphology, express mesenchymal (CD73, CD90, vimentin, α-smooth muscle actin), hepatocyte (UGT1A1, CK8) and biliary (CK19) markers. Moreover, these cells are able to store glycogen, and have glucose 6 phosphatase activity, but not UGT1A1 activity. Under the hepatogenic differentiation protocol, rFLDC display an up-regulation of hepatocyte markers expression (albumin, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase, G6Pase) correlated to a down-regulation of the expression of the biliary marker CK19.

CONCLUSION: Advanced hepatic features observed in human liver progenitor cells could not be demonstrated in rFLDC. However, we demonstrated the presence of an original rodent hepato-biliary cell type.

Keywords: Hepato biliary profile; Hepatogenic differentiation; Liver; Progenitor cell; Rat