[Differentiation of transplanted mouse c-Kit+lin- bone marrow cells into hepatocytes in vitro].

Objective: To ascertain whether mouse c-Kit(+)Lin- bone marrow cells have the potential of hepatic stem cells.

Methods: c-Kit(+)lin- bone marrow cells were isolated and purified by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) from BALB/C male donor mice, and immediately transplanted into age-matched BALB/C syngeneic female mice with 35-Gy total liver irradiation. The recipients were sacrificed 1 month after the transplantation for pathological observation of the liver morphology. The presence of Y-chromosome was examined in the liver cells of the recipient by in situ hybridization (ISH), and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and albumin in the cells were detected by immunohistochemistry.

Results: The hepatocytes positive for Sry gene on Y-chromosome were identified 1 month after transplantation, and immunohistochemistry for AFP and albumin confirmed that the donor mice-derived cells were hepatocytes.

Conclusion: c-Kit(+)lin- bone marrow cells have the potential of hepatic stem cells, which can reside and differentiate into hepatocytes in the liver after transplantation. c-Kit(+)lin- bone marrow cells can be used as the source cells of cell transplantation for liver disease.