Decellularized Wharton's jelly extracellular matrix as a promising scaffold for promoting hepatic differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells

This study was designed to evaluate hepatic differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in decellularized Wharton's jelly (WJ) matrix as an alternative for native liver matrix. WJ matrices were treated with a series of detergents for decellularization. Then hiPSCs were seeded into decellularized WJ scaffold (DWJS) for hepatic differentiation by a defined induction protocol. The DNA quantitative assay and histological evaluation showed that cellular and nuclear materials were efficiently removed and the composition of extracellular matrix was maintained. In DWJS, hiPSCs ‐derived hepatocyte‐like cells (hiPSCs‐Heps) efficiently entered into the differentiation phase (G1) and gradually took a polygonal shape, a typical shape of hepatocytes. The expression of hepatic‐associated genes (albumin,TAT,Cytokeratin19, andCyp7A1), albumin and urea secretion in hiPSCs ‐Heps cultured into DWJS was significantly higher than those cultured in the culture plates (2D). Altogether, our results suggest that DWJS could provide a proper microenvironment that efficiently promotes hepatic differentiation of hiPSCs.

Source: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry - November 11, 2018 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Mousa Kehtari, Bahareh Beiki, Bahman Zeynali, Fatemeh Sadat Hosseini, Fatemeh Soleimanifar, Mohammad Kaabi, Masoud Soleimani, Seyed Ehsan Enderami, Mahboubeh Kabiri, Hossein Mahboudi Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research