Analyses to clarify rich fractions in hepatic progenitor cells from human umbilical cord blood and cell fusion.

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a source of hematopoietic stem cells and other stem cells, and human UCB cells have been reported to contain transplantable hepatic progenitor cells. However, the fractions of UCB cells in which hepatic progenitor cells are rich remain to be clarified. In the present study, first, the fractionated cells by CD34, CD38, and c-kit were transplanted via portal vein of NOD/SCID mice, and albumin mRNA expression was examined in livers at 1 and 3 months posttransplantation.