Induction of Hepatocyte Differentiation by the Extracellular Matrix and an RGD-Containing Synthetic Peptide

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

ABSTRACTTo design novel biomaterials for hepatocyte transplantation it will be necessary to determine whether specific extracellular matrix (ECM) molecule(s) or the adhesive interactions between the surface and hepatocytes are responsible for regulation of hepatocyte function. Purified ECM molecules (laminin, fibronectin, types I and IV collagen) and a synthetic peptide containing the arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) cell-binding sequence were precoated at defined densities to non-adhesive polystyrene dishes. Hepatocytes cultured on dishes coated with a low density of ECM molecules (1 ng/cm2) maintained a round morphology, and high liver-specific protein secretion rates. In contrast, culturing hepatocytes on increasing ECM densities (50–1000 ng/cm2) resulted in extensive cell spreading, a loss of liver-specific protein secretion, and cell growth. Hepatocytes cultured on dishes coated with the RGD-containing peptide did not spread even on a high density of the peptide (10,000 ng/cm2), and albumin secretion remained high for hepatocytes cultured on all peptide densities (1–10,000 ng/cm2). These results suggest that a variety of ECM molecules and synthetic peptides are capable of inducing hepatocyte differentiation in vitro, and these effects depend on their ability to promote cell spreading.