Cited by 455Pluripotent Stem Cells ResearchDrug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and ProtectionMesenchymal stem cell research

Generation of Functional Human Hepatic Endoderm From Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

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Sullivan, Gareth J., Hay, David C., Park, In-Hyun, Fletcher, Judy, Hannoun, Zara, Payne, Catherine M., Dalgetty, Donna, Black, James R. +9 more·2010·Hepatology

Abstract

With the advent of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, it is now feasible to generate iPSCs with a defined genotype or disease state. When coupled with direct differentiation to a defined lineage, such as hepatic endoderm (HE), iPSCs would revolutionize the way we study human liver biology and generate efficient “off the shelf” models of human liver disease. Here, we show the “proof of concept” that iPSC lines representing both male and female sexes and two ethnic origins can be differentiated to HE at efficiencies of between 70%–90%, using a method mimicking physiological relevant condition. The iPSC-derived HE exhibited hepatic morphology and expressed the hepatic markers albumin and E-cadherin, as assessed by immunohistochemistry. They also expressed alpha-fetoprotein, hepatocyte nuclear factor-4a, and a metabolic marker, cytochrome P450 7A1 (Cyp7A1), demonstrating a definitive endodermal lineage differentiation. Furthermore, iPSC-derived hepatocytes produced and secreted the plasma proteins, fibrinogen, fibronectin, transthyretin, and alpha-fetoprotein, an essential feature for functional HE. Additionally iPSC-derived HE supported both CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 metabolism, which is essential for drug and toxicology testing. Conclusion: This work is first to demonstrate the efficient generation of hepatic endodermal lineage from human iPSCs that exhibits key attributes of hepatocytes, and the potential application of iPSC-derived HE in studying human liver biology. In particular, iPSCs from individuals representing highly polymorphic variants in metabolic genes and different ethnic groups will provide pharmaceutical development and toxicology studies a unique opportunity to revolutionize predictive drug toxicology assays and allow the creation of in vitro hepatic disease models. (Hepatology 2009.)

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Crossref · 10.1002/hep.23335

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  • The differentiation protocol used was developed and optimized from published literature and chosen for its capacity to generate iHLOs with high CYP enzyme activity, particularly CYP3A4.

    “The differentiation protocol utilized was developed and optimized from the published literatures18–21, specifically chosen for its capacity to generate iHLOs with high CYP enzyme activity, particularly CYP3A4, which is crucial for drug metabolism and toxicology evaluations.”

    From ​Temporal proteomic profiling of iPSC-derived human liver organoids reveals optimal maturation for drug metabolism and toxicology (2026) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Experimental Procedures describe a differentiation protocol adapted from published work, and the Results report CYP3A4 activity in the resulting iPSC-derived hepatic endoderm. The paper does not describe generating iHLOs or establish that their CYP enzyme activity is high; its activity measurements concern hepatic endoderm cells. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • The protocol was chosen due to its demonstrated capacity to generate iHLOs with high CYP enzyme activity, particularly CYP3A4.

    “This protocol was chosen due to its demonstrated capacity to generate iHLOs with high CYP enzyme activity, particularly CYP3A4, which is crucial for our subsequent compound or drug metabolism and toxicology evaluations.”

    From ​Temporal proteomic profiling of iPSC-derived human liver organoids reveals optimal maturation for drug metabolism and toxicology (2026) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Results report CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 activity in all three iPSC-derived hepatic endoderm lines, supporting the protocol’s relevance to drug-metabolism testing. The Cell Culture and Differentiation section describes hepatocyte-like cells, not iHLOs, and the Results do not establish that their CYP enzyme activity was high. The reported ~6000-fold increase in CYP3A4 concerns expression relative to undifferentiated iPS cells, not measured enzyme activity. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Sullivan, G. J., Hay, D. C., Park, I.-H., Fletcher, J., Hannoun, Z., Payne, C. M., Dalgetty, D., Black, J. R., Ross, J. A., Samuel, K., Wang, G., Daley, G. Q., Lee, J.-H., Church, G. M., Forbes, S. J., Iredale, J. P., & Wilmut, I.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine (GB)
  • Harvard Stem Cell Institute (US)
Corresponding author
  • Sullivan, Gareth J.
  • Hay, David C.
  • Park, In-Hyun
Venue
Hepatology
Published
2010-01
Volume
51
Issue
1
Pages
329-335
ISSN
0270-9139 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2136607014
Cited by
445
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 32 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 37 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 46 · 2012: 57
FWCI
21.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Hepatology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Scottish Funding Council
  • Research Councils UK
  • National Institutes of Health (DP1OD000256)
  • Directorate for Biological Sciences
  • Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Pluripotent Stem Cells Research
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmacology › Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Protection
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Genetics › Mesenchymal stem cell research
Keywords
induced pluripotent stem cells, iPSC-derived hepatocytes, direct differentiation method, liver disease models, drug metabolism, CYP1A2, CYP3A4, sex differences, ethnic genetic variation, alpha-fetoprotein, albumin, fibrinogen, prealbumin, fibronectin, drug toxicology
MeSH terms
Cell Differentiation, Endoderm, Female, Humans, Liver, Male, Cell Culture Techniques, Cell Lineage, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

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