Abstract
Liver development requires a number of growth factors (GFs) to lead differentiation of liver parenchymal cells. However, because the liver contains cells of many types, it is difficult to examine their functional effects on a rare cell population, such as a hepatic stem cell population. Prospective isolation and clonal assays for hepatic stem cells enable to investigate direct effects of GFs on their differentiation. Using previously purified cells that fulfill the criteria for hepatic stem cells, we examined how GFs regulate differentiation in the developing liver. These experiments would allow us to describe sequential liver cell lineages derived from hepatic stem cells precisely. Furthermore, consecutive production of stem cell-derived hepatocytes may provide a useful cell source for developing therapeutic strategies, such as cell transplantation, gene therapy, and artificial liver organ to treat various liver disorders.
