Human Amniotic Epithelial Cells Possess Hepatocyte-like Characteristics and Functions

Cell Structure and Function

Hirohiko Ise¹  Seiji Takashima¹  Toshihiro Akaike²  Toshio Nikaido¹  Peng Zhao¹ 

[1] Department of Organ Regeneration, Institutes of Organ Transplants, Reconstructive Medicine and Tissue Engineering, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine;Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology

关键词: amnion;    albumin;    α1-antitrypsin;    hepatocyte;    transplantation;   

DOI  :  10.1247/csf.29.73

学科分类：分子生物学，细胞生物学和基因

来源: Japan Society for Cell Biology

【 摘 要 】

References(41)Cited-By(50)Hepatocyte transplantation is expected to become a novel method for treatment of liver disease. However, many questions remain regarding this approach, especially concerning donor cells. To evaluate whether human amniotic epithelial cells can be used as a cell source for hepatocyte transplantation, hepatic gene expression and functions of human amniotic epithelial cells were analyzed. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that human amniotic epithelial cells expressed albumin, α1-antitrypsin, and other hepatocyte-related genes. Cultivated human amniotic epithelial cells demonstrated albumin production, glycogen storage, and albumin secretion consistent with the hepatocyte gene expression profile. In organ culture, the amnion secreted 30-fold larger amounts of albumin than human amniotic epithelial cells in monolayer culture. Moreover, in organ culture the amnion also secreted α1-antitrypsin. Following transplantation into mice, the amnion survived and secreted albumin. These observations suggest that transplantation of human amniotic epithelial cells and/or amnion could be novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of hepatic diseases, including α1-antitrypsin deficiency.

【 授权许可】

Unknown