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Expression of nestin–green fluorescent protein transgene marks oval cells in the adult liver
Author(s) -
Gleiberman Anatoli S.,
Encinas Juan M.,
Mig John L.,
Michurina Tatyana,
Rosenfeld Michael G.,
Enikolopov Grigori
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.20536
Subject(s) - nestin , biology , green fluorescent protein , progenitor cell , transgene , hepatocyte , microbiology and biotechnology , genetically modified mouse , cellular differentiation , cell type , cell , stem cell , gene , neural stem cell , in vitro , genetics
Oval cells, which become apparent in the liver after chronic injury, serve as bipotent progenitors for differentiated hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. We found that, in the liver of adult transgenic mice in which expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) is driven by regulatory elements of the nestin gene, the GFP signal marks a subpopulation of small epithelial cells that meet the criteria for oval cells, including morphology, localization, antigenic profile, and reactivity in response to injury. In the regenerating and developing liver, we also found nestin‐GFP–positive cells that express hepatocyte markers; such cells may correspond to transiently appearing differentiating progeny of oval cells. During development, GFP‐expressing cells in the liver emerge relatively late, after the appearance of differentiated hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Our results suggest that nestin‐GFP cells in the liver correspond to a specialized cell type whose primary function may be to serve as a reserve for adult liver epithelial cell types. Development Dynamics 234:413–421, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.