Autophagy Is Required for Hepatic Differentiation of Hepatic Progenitor Cells via Wnt Signaling Pathway

Figure 1

Autophagy was highly activated in HPCs and gradually decreased during hepatic differentiation of HPCs. (a) The morphology of WB-F344 cells cultured in normal medium (left panel, Ctrl, control) or treated with hepatic differentiation medium (HGF) for 4 days (right panel, HGF) (, Inset: 2x magnification). (b) RT-PCR analyzing expression of hepatic lineage markers (Alb and Aldob) in WB-F344 cells treated with hepatic differentiation medium (HGF) for 4 days. (c) Western blot showing expression of hepatic lineage markers (Alb and Aldob) in WB-F344 cells treated with hepatic differentiation medium (HGF) for 4 days. (d) The proliferation ability of WB-F344 cells cultured in normal medium (Ctrl) or treated with hepatic differentiation medium (HGF) for 4 days. (e) Western blot showing autophagy (LC3-II/LC3-I and P62) in WB-F344 cells treated with hepatic differentiation medium (HGF) for 4 days. (f) Densitometric analysis of LC3-II relative to LC3-I normalized to time 0 d (0 d vs. 1 d-4 d). (g) Autophagic vacuoles (arrowheads) were observed at WB-F344 cells cultured in normal media (Ctrl) or treated with differentiation medium (HGF) for 4 days under an electron microscope (). Data represent ; ; . .

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