Basic Research
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2006; 12(25): 4014-4019
Published online Jul 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i25.4014
Differentiation of human umbilical cord blood stem cells into hepatocytes in vivo and in vitro
Xiao-Peng Tang, Min Zhang, Xu Yang, Li-Min Chen, Yang Zeng
Xiao-Peng Tang, Min Zhang, Xu Yang, Li-Min Chen, Yang Zeng, Research Center of Liver Diseases, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 39870651 and Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, No. 04JJ6048
Correspondence to: Professor Xiao-Peng Tang, Research Center of Liver Diseases, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China. xiaopeng1959@163.com
Telephone: +86-731-4360602
Received: December 22, 2005
Revised: January 7, 2006
Accepted: January 14, 2006
Published online: July 7, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To study the condition and potentiality of human umbilical cord blood stem cells (HUCBSC) to differentiate into hepatocytes in vivo or in vitro.

METHODS: In a cell culture study of human umbilical cord blood stem cell (HUCBSC) differentiation, human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (HUCBMNC) were separated by density gradient centrifugation. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the supernatant of fetal liver were added in the inducing groups. Only FGF was added in the control group. The expansion and differentiation of HUCBMNC in each group were observed. Human alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and albumin (ALB) were detected by immunohistochemistry. In the animal experiments, the survival SD rats with acute hepatic injury after carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) injection 48 h were randomly divided into three groups. The rats in group A were treated with human umbilical cord blood serum. The rats in group B were treated with HUCBMNC transplantation. The rats in group C were treated with HUCBMNC transplantation followed by intraperitoneal cyclophosphamide for 7 d. The rats were killed at different time points after the treatment and the liver tissue was histopathologically studied and human AFP and ALB detected by immunohistochemistry. The human X inactive-specific transcript gene fragment in the liver tissue was amplified by PCR to find human DNA.

RESULTS: The results of cell culture showed that adherent cells were stained negative for AFP or ALB in control group. However, the adherent cells in the inducing groups stained positive for AFP or ALB. The result of animal experiment showed that no human AFP or ALB positive cells present in the liver tissue of group A (control group). However, many human AFP or ALB positive cells were scattered around sinus hepaticus and the central veins of hepatic lobules and in the portal area in group B and group C after one month. The fragment of human X chromagene could be detected in the liver tissue of groups B and C, but not in group A.

CONCLUSION: Under certain conditions HUCBSC can differentiate into liver cells in vivo and in vitro.

Keywords: Umbilical cord blood; Stem cell; Liver failure; Cell transplantation; Cell differentiation