Analysis of the role of proliferation in cellular reprogramming

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670146
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI Atsushi 九州大学, 生体防御医学研究所, 教授 (30415195)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞 / リプログラミング / 増殖 / 再生医療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To examine the relationship between direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into induced hepatocyte-like (iHep) cells and cellular proliferation, we sequentially analyzed the early stage of fibroblast conversion into iHep cells using live-cell imaging, immunofluorescence staining, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses. Our data demonstrated that the conversion into iHep cells began within 48 hours after introduction of the transgenes into fibroblasts, and the number of iHep cells increased gradually as the culture progressed. The rapid cell-fate conversion of fibroblasts into iHep cells and stable expansion of iHep cells will be useful in the future cell transplantation therapy and screening of drugs for patients with liver diseases.

Free Research Field

発生生物学、幹細胞生物学、再生医学