Abstract
AbstractFollowing severe liver injury, when hepatocyte-mediated regeneration is impaired, biliary epithelial cells (BECs) can transdifferentiate into functional hepatocytes. However, the subset of BECs with such facultative tissue stem cell potential, as well as the mechanisms enabling transdifferentiation, remains elusive. Here we identify a transitional liver progenitor cell (TLPC), which originates from BECs and differentiates into hepatocytes during regeneration from severe liver injury. By applying a dual genetic lineage tracing approach, we specifically labeled TLPCs and found that they are bipotent, as they either differentiate into hepatocytes or re-adopt BEC fate. Mechanistically, Notch and Wnt/β-catenin signaling orchestrate BEC-to-TLPC and TLPC-to-hepatocyte conversions, respectively. Together, our study provides functional and mechanistic insights into transdifferentiation-assisted liver regeneration.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Cited by
20 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献