Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that different hepatic cell types exist during liver development: (i). cells co-expressing the stem-cell marker @entity18715 and the hepatic lineage marker @entity12073 and (ii). cells only expressing @entity12073 (hepatoblasts). In this study we separated the different hepatic cells and analyzed gene-expression and phenotype. Fetal @entity35 livers were digested by collagenase solution. OX43- and @entity46564 -positive hematopoietic cells were depleted and @entity18715 -positive cells were enriched using Magnetic cell sorting. The different cell compartments were analyzed by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry for @entity18715 , @entity12073 , @entity12074 , and albumin. Hepatoblasts expressed albumin at all times and @entity12074 in the early stages. @entity18715 -enriched cells expressed @entity12073 at all times, albumin in the early, and @entity12074 in the late stages. @entity18715 -positive cells from fetal livers express liver specific genes. The data suggest that @entity18715 -positive hepatic cells develop towards hepatic stem cells, and hepatoblasts develop towards mature hepatocytes of the adult liver.

Hepatic lineages isolated from developing XXXX liver show different ways of maturation.

@entity12074 :: ('24177(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['AFP'] @entity12073 :: ('294853(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['CK-18'] @entity35 :: ('10116', 'Species') :: ['rat'] @entity18715 :: ('24832(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['Thy1'] @entity46564 :: ('24251(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['OX44']
@entity35 :: (10116,Species) :: ['rat']
