Journal of Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Abstract

A Population of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Specific to the Fetal Liver Development

Wenwei Zhang, Zahia Hamidouche, Guillaume Pourcher, Varvara Gribova, Farhad Haghighi, Jean-Jacques Candelier, Pierre Charbord and Anne Dubart-Kupperschmitt

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) with osteoblastic/chondrocytic potential have been detected in different anatomical sites including the Fetal Liver (FL). The puzzling presence of such cells in FL led us to investigate whether they displayed additional differentiation competence compatible with their location at this developmental stage. This study has resulted in the successful isolation of a population of clonogenic cells from 11-12 gestational week human fetal livers that spontaneously differentiated into vascular smooth muscle cells during the proliferative phase. The cells were also able to differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts and chondrocytes, but only when submitted to specific culture conditions. Moreover, the isolated population expressed hepatocytic transcription factors. The analysis of FL sections suggested that the clones generated in culture were derived from a subset of nestin+, vimentin+ and alpha- SM actin+ pericytes. The FL specification of the MSCs described here is in agreement with the known plasticity of the mesenchyme.