Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the induced method that peripheral blood mononuclear cells can be differentiated to hepatocyte-like cells in vitro.
METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from patients by using density gradient centrifugation and cells adherent method, and cultured in the culture medium containing recombinant human macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), interleukin 3 (IL-3) and β-Mercaptoethanol for 6 days. The purified cells were cultured with hepatocyte growth factor and fibroblast growth factor 4 to accelerate induction for 14 days (experimental group). Non-induced mononuclear cells and L02 liver cell line were used as controls.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were small round, uniform size, strong refraction. After induction with M-CSF, IL-3 and β -Mercaptoethanol for 6 days, the part of cells grew into fibroblasts; and after induction with HGF and FGF-4 for 14 days, the cell morphology was similar to liver cells, and the cells expressed albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, cytokeratin 18. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells can be transformed into liver cells in vitro under certain induced conditions.