RGD Reference Report - Epimorphin is involved in differentiation of rat hepatic stem-like cells through cell-cell contact. - Rat Genome Database

Send us a Message



Submit Data |  Help |  Video Tutorials |  News |  Publications |  Download |  REST API |  Citing RGD |  Contact   

Epimorphin is involved in differentiation of rat hepatic stem-like cells through cell-cell contact.

Authors: Miura, K  Nagai, H  Ueno, Y  Goto, T  Mikami, K  Nakane, K  Yoneyama, K  Watanabe, D  Terada, K  Sugiyama, T  Imai, K  Senoo, H  Watanabe, S 
Citation: Miura K, etal., Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2003 Nov 14;311(2):415-23.
RGD ID: 1304453
Pubmed: PMID:14592430   (View Abstract at PubMed)

Epimorphin, a mesenchymal cell surface-associated molecule, is detected on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in the liver. Here, we show the involvement of epimorphin in differentiation of rat hepatic stem-like cells (HSLCs) through contact with HSCs. HSLCs, isolated from adult rats, cultured in stellate cell-conditioned medium had no phenotypic and morphological changes, whereas HSLCs co-cultured with HSCs expressed albumin, transferrin, and tyrosine aminotransferase. An anti-epimorphin antibody inhibited hepatocytic differentiation of HSLCs in co-culture. Furthermore, epimorphin induced mRNA expression of albumin, transferrin, tyrosine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase with decrease of c-kit and musashi-1. Morphologically, HSLCs piled up when co-cultured with HSCs, which was dramatically inhibited by an anti-epimorphin antibody. HSLCs contact with epimorphin started piling up, changed their shape from flat to cuboidal, and subsequently developed bile-canaliculi-like structures. In conclusion, epimorphin is a factor that induces differentiation of hepatic stem-like cells through epithelial-mesenchymal cell contact.

Objects referenced in this article
Gene Stx2 syntaxin 2 Rattus norvegicus

Additional Information