Mature rat hepatocyte dedifferentiation into long lived proliferating hepatic progenitor cells

Abstract

Objective: to obtain long-lived proliferating cells with progenitor features by dedifferentiation of mature rat hepatocytes using combinations of small molecules.Materials and Methods. Hepatocytes isolated from rat liver by perfusion were cultured in the presence of a cocktail of three small molecules – Wnt signaling pathway activator (CHIR99021), TGF-β inhibitors (A83-01) and ROCK kinase (Y27632). The morphological characteristics and growth features of the culture were assessed using fluorescence and phase-contrast microscopy during cell culture. Cell proliferative activity was analyzed using real-time time-lapse imaging. The expression of surface and intracellular markers was analyzed using flow cytometry and high-resolution fluorescence microscopy.Results. Using a cocktail of small molecules, Y-27632, A-83-01, and CHIR99021, long-lived proliferating cells that express progenitor cell markers, such as α-fetoprotein and HNF4α, were obtained from mature rat hepatocytes. The cells had hepatocyte-like morphology and formed discrete clusters of proliferating cells, forming a single cell layer during culturing. Removal of the small molecules from the medium led to expansion of fibroblast-like cells and elimination of potentially progenitor hepatocyte-like cells.Conclusion. Proliferating progenitor cells can be obtained by dedifferentiation of mature hepatocytes.