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Long-term culture of genome-stable bipotent stem cells from adult human liver.


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Type

Article

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Authors

Huch, Meritxell 
Gehart, Helmuth 
van Boxtel, Ruben 
Hamer, Karien 
Blokzijl, Francis 

Abstract

Despite the enormous replication potential of the human liver, there are currently no culture systems available that sustain hepatocyte replication and/or function in vitro. We have shown previously that single mouse Lgr5+ liver stem cells can be expanded as epithelial organoids in vitro and can be differentiated into functional hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo. We now describe conditions allowing long-term expansion of adult bile duct-derived bipotent progenitor cells from human liver. The expanded cells are highly stable at the chromosome and structural level, while single base changes occur at very low rates. The cells can readily be converted into functional hepatocytes in vitro and upon transplantation in vivo. Organoids from α1-antitrypsin deficiency and Alagille syndrome patients mirror the in vivo pathology. Clonal long-term expansion of primary adult liver stem cells opens up experimental avenues for disease modeling, toxicology studies, regenerative medicine, and gene therapy.

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Keywords

Animals, Genomic Instability, Hepatocytes, Humans, Liver, Mice, Organ Culture Techniques, Organoids

Journal Title

Cell

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0092-8674
1097-4172

Volume Title

160

Publisher

Cell Press
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (104151/Z/14/Z)
Wellcome Trust (092096/Z/10/Z)
This work was supported by grants to MH (EU/236954) and to HC (The United European Gastroenterology Federation (UEGF) Research Prize 2010, EU/232814-StemCellMark and NWO/116002008). MH is supported by The Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale fellowship. The Rspo cell line was kindly provided by Dr. Calvin Kuo.