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Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be maintained in an undifferentiated state in the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a member of the interleukin-6 cytokine family. In other mammals, this is not possible with LIF alone. Chicken ES-like cells (blastodermal cells) have only been cultured with mouse LIF because chicken LIF was not available. However the culture system is imperfect and chicken ES-like cells equivalent to mouse ES cells were not observed. In the present study, we cloned the cDNA-encoding chicken LIF using mRNA subtraction and RACE methodology. The chicken LIF cDNA encodes a protein with ϳ40% sequence identity to mouse LIF. It has 211 amino acids including a putative N-terminal signal peptide of 24 residues. Chicken blastodermal cells were cultured in the presence of bacterially expressed chicken LIF or mouse LIF. The expression of alkaline phosphatase and embryonal carcinoma cell monoclonal antibody-1 and stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 and the activation of STAT3 were examined, all of which are indices of the undifferentiated state. Exposure in the blastodermal cells to recombinant chicken LIF but not to mouse LIF maintained the expression of these various markers. After 9 days of incubation, the blastodermal cells formed cystic embryoid bodies in the presence of mouse LIF but not in the presence of recombinant chicken LIF. We conclude that chicken LIF is able to maintain chicken ES cell cultures in the undifferentiated state.

We report two cases of a nonparasitic solitary huge liver cyst. The first case, that of a 42-year-old woman, was admitted with a chief complaint of upper abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) scans revealed a huge cyst, 10 cm in diameter, in segments 4 and 5 of the liver, and spontaneous rupture of the cyst with intracystic hemorrhage. Her general condition was improved by transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). Percutaneous cystic needle aspiration cytological examination revealed no malignant cells, so she was discharged. After 3 weeks, however, the cyst had increased in size, and simple cystectomy was performed. Histological examination proved the cyst to be benign. The patient in the second case, a 70-year-old man, was admitted with epigastric discomfort and obstructive jaundice. CT scans revealed a huge liver cyst, 18 x 15 cm, in the right lobe of the liver, with dilation of the bile duct in the lateral segment. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed compression of the left hepatic duct by the cyst and dilation of the bile duct in the lateral segment. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography disclosed no communication between the bile duct and the cyst. Percutaneous transhepatic cyst drainage was performed, and minocycline hydrochloride was infused. The cyst was reduced in size, and the reduction has been maintained for 20 months since treatment.

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