Basic Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 15, 2003; 9(3): 544-546
Published online Mar 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i3.544
A selective tropism of transfused oval cells for liver
Jian-Zhi Chen, Hai Hong, Jin Xiang, Ling Xue, Guo-Qiang Zhao
Jian-Zhi Chen, Hai Hong, Jin Xiang, Ling Xue, Guo-Qiang Zhao, Department of Pathology, Medical School of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 39570348 and 30170473
Correspondence to: Prof. Dr. Guo-Qiang Zhao, Department of Pathology, Medical School of Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Rd., Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China. gqzhao@gzsums.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-20-87330743 Fax: +86-20-87331679
Received: June 22, 2002
Revised: July 3, 2002
Accepted: July 12, 2002
Published online: March 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: To explore the biological behaviors of hepatic oval cells after transfused into the circulation of experimental animals.

METHODS: Oval cells from male SD rat were transfused into the circulation of a female rat which were treated by a 2-AAF/CCl4 program, through caudal vein. Sex-determining gene sry which located on Y chromosome was examined by PCR and in situ hybridization technique in liver, kidney and spleen of the experimental animals, respectively.

RESULTS: The results of the cell-transplant experiment showed that the sry gene was detectable only in the liver but not in spleen and kidney of the experimental rats, and no signals could be detected in the control animals. It can be also morphologically proved that some exogenous cells had migrated into the parenchyma of the liver and settled there.

CONCLUSION: The result means that there are exogenous cells located in the liver of the experimental animal and the localization is specific to the liver. This indicates that some "signal molecules" must exist in the circulation of the rats treated by 2-AAF/CCl4. These "signal molecules" might play an important role in specific localization and differentiation of transfused oval cells.

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