Generation of Neuron-like Cells from Multipotent Progenitor Cells in Liver

2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 17591541
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cerebral neurosurgery
• Research Institution: Fukuoka University
• Principal Investigator: SAKAMOTO Seisaburou Fukuoka University, School of Medicine, Assistant professor, 医学部, 助手 (60258548)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUKUSHIMA Takeo Fukuoka University, School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (10078735) ; TSUGU Hitoshi Fukuoka University, School of Medicine, Associate professor, 医学部, 助教授 (80279273) ; KOMATSU Fuminari Fukuoka University, School of Medicine, Assistant professor, 医学部, 助手 (70412591)
• Project Period (FY): 2005 – 2006
• Keywords: neuron / multipotent progenitor cell / mouse / liver / nestin

Research Abstract

We describe here the multipotent progenitor cells from mouse embryonic liver in vitro. Unfractionated embryonic liver cells cultured with epidermal growth factor and-basic-fibroblast growth factor gave rise to spheres containing nestin-positive cells in serum-free medium. After isolation of the spheres, they were cultured with 10%FBS, retinoic acid, BDNF, NGF and NT-3 on poly-D-lysine/laminin-coated slips as neuronal induction. Some cells that have long processes expressed β-III tubulin, MAP-2 and NF-H that are markers found in neuron by immunocytochemical staining. Moreover, functional analysis by whole-cell patch clump method revealed inward current in response to glutamate, GABA, and serotonin in neuron-like cells. Our results indicate the presence of multipotent precursor cells that are capable of differentiating into neuron-like cells in mouse liver and may suggest that those cells contribute to neuronal regeneration as autologous sourse for transplantation. We also discuss the relationship between transdifferentiation and neural crest stem cells.