Differentiation of adult bone marrow CD45-CD117- stem cells into hepatocyte in vitro

AIM: To observe whether the CD117-CD45- bone marrow cell can differentiate into the cells with characters of hepatocyte by the stimulation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF4), and to explore the acting mechanism of the growth factors. METHODS: Bone marrow cells were from the stern or ilium of 4 healthy volunteers between 4-40 years old. CD117-CD45- bone marrow cells separated by magnetic cell sorting method, cultured in DMEM medium with FGF4, HGF, FGF4+ HGF or no growth factor were divided into four groups: groups A, B, C, and D accordingly. Cells were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 for detecting the hepatocyte markers: AFP, CK18, albumin by immunocytochemistry, glycogen by PAS staining and c-met, FGFR2 mRNA by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The specific markers of hepatocyte were positive in groups A, B and C but not in group D. C-met and FGFR2 mRNA expressed at a low level in the cells newly isolated or cultured in the medium without growth factor, but at increasing level after cutured with growth factor. CONCLUSION: HGF and FGF4 can induce CD45-CD117 - differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells. The effect of growth factor on cell differentiation is probably by the positive regulation between the growth factor and its receptor.