Transplantation of rat hepatic stem-like (HSL) cells with collagen matrices

Organ restitution using somatic stem cells is of great clinical interest. Recent advances in the field of tissue engineering have demonstrated that the use of collagen matrices as scaffolds facilitates tissue reconstruction. Here, we examine the efficacy of transplantation of HSL cells, a previously established liver epithelial cell line with a potential for differentiation, using collagen scaffolds. To this end, HSL cells were transplanted into Nagase's analbuminemic rat with spongy or gelatinous type I collagen matrices. Consequently, immunohistochemical analyses and genomic PCR experiments revealed engraftment of the transplanted cells. Furthermore, the levels of serum albumin in recipient rats were found to increase up to 2.5-fold relative to controls after transplantation. These findings suggest that HSL cells are able to differentiate into functional hepatocytes in vivo, and that biodegradable collagen matrices enhance this phenomenon by providing an appropriate microenvironment for hepatocytic repopulation.