Fibronectin regulates morphology, cell organization and gene expression of rat fetal hepatocytes in primary culture

Multipotent adult progenitor cells from bone marrow differentiate into functional hepatocyte-like cells

“…Because Matrigel consists of a mixture of ECM components, we also tested whether any specific component might be responsible for the hepatocyte induction. Differentiation to cells with hepatocyte phenotype and function could also be induced when cells were cultured on FN, but not collagen I, collagen IV, or laminin (33). Culture conditions for rodent cells and human cells were similar.…”

“…aFGF and bFGF, important in hepatocyte specification, however, did not promote hepatocyte differentiation in our system. Other signals known to influence differentiation to hepatocytes include ECM-derived signals (32,33). Culture on Matrigel induced the most complete differentiation to cells expressing hepatocyte markers.…”

Embryonic development of the liver†

“…117 In contrast to the parenchyma, the portal mesenchyme is a rich source of extracellular matrix that consists of laminin, nidogen, collagens I and IV, and fibronectin, raising the possibility that the extracellular matrix could influence the fate of hepatoblasts. 21,118,119 Careful immunohistochemical analyses at defined stages of mouse development have revealed that deposition of extracellular matrix components changes quite dramatically during hepatogenesis, which coincides with the onset of biliary epithelial cell differentiation. 21 Consistent with the proposal that extracellular matrix is a significant determinant of hepatoblast cell fate, it has been demonstrated that the profile of gene expression within primary hepatic cultures is significantly affected by the composition of extracellular matrix.…”

“…21 Consistent with the proposal that extracellular matrix is a significant determinant of hepatoblast cell fate, it has been demonstrated that the profile of gene expression within primary hepatic cultures is significantly affected by the composition of extracellular matrix. 79,80,118,[120][121][122][123] For example, culture of bipotential mouse embryonic liver cells in matrigel, a soluble basement membrane preparation that includes laminin, collagen IV, heparan sulfate proteoglycans, and entactin, induced them to express biliary epithelial cell markers and form ductile like structures. 83,124 In addition, cells lacking ␤1-integrin, a subunit of a heterodimeric protein complex that contributes to cell-matrix interactions, are unable to colonize the liver, and inhibition of the ␣3-integrin subunit expression blocks extracellular matrixinduced differentiation of a hepatic cell line.…”

Hepatic non-parenchymal cells and extracellular matrix participate in oval cell-mediated liver regeneration

“…(3) Affecting the migration, proliferation and attachment of oval cells. Sánchez et al [36] demonstrate that fibronectin might regulate morphology, cell organization and gene expression of rat fetal hepatocytes in primary culture. Other studies show that the apparent affinity of hepatocytes to laminin increases during the prereplicative phase of rat liver regeneration and laminin is one of the most effective substrates in supporting the responstiveness of hepatocytes to the growth stimulus [37,38] .…”