In vitro differentiation of reprogrammed murine somatic cells into hepatic precursor cells

Aims: Recently, a new approach to reprogram somatic cells to pluripotent stem cells was shown by fusion of somatic cells with embryonic stem cells (ESC), avoiding generation of totipotent embryos. These fusion hybrids morphologically resemble normal ESCs but have a tetraploid karyotype. Normal hepatocytes often are polyploid, so we preferentially investigate the differentiation potential of fusion hybrids into hepatic cells. Methods: Mononuclear bone marrow cells from C3H and Rosa26 mice were fused with HM-1 (hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyltransferase -deficient) or OG2 (Oct4-GFP transgenic) ESC, respectively. Unfus…