Analyses of Jagged1 and Notch1 in Hepatocyte Culture: Differentiation and Proliferation Conditions affect receptor and ligand of Notch Pathway

The Jagged/Notch signaling pathway controls cell fate determination and differentiation, and its dysfunction is associated with human pathologies, including Alagille syndrome. Previous results have shown that Notch- and Jagged–siRNA treated rat liver reduces the ability in proliferation and regeneration following partial hepatectomy. To determine the putative role of the transmembrane receptor Notch and its ligand Jagged in cell-cell interaction and proliferation of hepatocytes, we analyzed expression of Jagged1 and Notch1 in the primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Rat hepatocytes were cultured in the presence…