Figure 2

Hepatocyte and multipotent gene expression profile in bMSC under hepatogenic conditions during a 28-Day in vitro culture period. (A) bMSC were isolated by plastic adherence from bovine fetal BM and cultured under hepatogenic or control conditions. Culture of fetal bMSC under hepatogenic conditions stimulated cell replication at earlier stages and induced formation of polygonal cell morphology and cell aggregates at Day 28 of culture. (B) AFP protein was immunodetected in cell aggregates in differentiated (DIF) but not in control (CON) bMSC cultures at Day 28. AFP mRNA levels increased (P < 0.05) in differentiated bMSC at Day 28 of culture. Similarly, ALB, α1-AT, CNX32, and TAT and mRNA levels increased (P < 0.05) in differentiated bMSC at Day 28 of culture. Levels of CYP3A4 mRNA were higher (P < 0.05) in differentiated compared to control bMSC from Day 7 until Day 28 of culture. NANOG mRNA levels were lower (P < 0.05) in differentiated compared to control bMSC from Day 14 to Day 28 of culture. (*) Superscripts represent significant (P < 0.05) differences between treatments and sampling days. Bar scale: 500 μm.