The relationship between differentiation and proliferation in late gestation fetal rat hepatocytes.

Hepatocyte proliferation and differentiation occur simultaneously during late mammalian gestation. We hypothesized that regulation of hepatocyte growth and differentiation would be coordinated in late gestation fetal hepatocyte cultures such that proliferation would be most active in a population of less well-differentiated cells. Cultured fetal hepatocytes (embryonic d 19 and 21; E19 and E21) were studied using double staining immunofluorescent microscopy. Differentiation was assessed as staining for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), three markers of enzymic differentiation (glucokinase [GK], phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase [PEPCK], and carbamoyl phosphate synthase [CPS]), and a hepatocyte cell-cell adhesion molecule (C-CAM). Proliferation was assessed using immunocytochemical detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) or 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine (BrdU) incorporation into DNA. Fetal hepatocyte cultures consisted of a heterogeneous population of cells, slightly more than half of which were proliferative under defined, growth factor-free conditions. These cultures were heterogeneous for AFP expression. There was no correlation between the expression of AFP and PCNA or AFP and S-phase entry (BrdU staining) during the first 48 h in culture. Similar results were obtained in staining for the enzymic differentiation markers and C-CAM. In addition, the differentiation status of cultured fetal hepatocytes was unrelated to a presumed indicator of mature growth regulation, mitogenic responsiveness to transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Finally, absence of any correlation between proliferation and differentiated phenotype was supported by in vivo studies using staining for PCNA, AFP, CPS, and PEPCK in liver sections. These results indicate that the developmental program governing differentiation of late gestation fetal rat hepatocytes is independent from mechanisms controlling proliferation.

Modulation of mitogen-independent hepatocyte proliferation during the perinatal period in the rat.

Late gestation fetal rat hepatocytes can proliferate under defined in vitro conditions in the absence of added mitogens. However, this capacity declines with advancing gestational age of the fetus from which the hepatocytes are derived. The present studies were undertaken to investigate this change in fetal hepatocyte growth regulation. Examination of E19 fetal hepatocyte primary cultures using immunocytochemistry for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation showed that approximately 80% of these cells traverse S-phase of the cell cycle over the first 48 h in culture. Similarly, 65% of E19 hepatocytes maintained in culture under defined mitogen-free conditions for 24 h showed nuclear expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). These in vitro findings correlated with a high level of immunoreactive PCNA in immunofluorescent analyses of E19 liver. In contrast, E21 (term) liver showed little immunoreactive PCNA. The in vivo finding was recapitulated by in vitro studies showing that E21 hepatocytes had low levels of BrdU incorporation during the first day in culture and were PCNA negative shortly after isolation. However, within 12 h of plating, E21 hepatocytes showed cytoplasmic staining for PCNA. Although maintained under mitogen-free conditions, PCNA expression progressed synchronously to a nucleolar staining pattern at 24 to 48 h in culture followed by intense, diffuse nuclear staining at 60 h which disappeared by 72 h. This apparently synchronous cell cycle progression was confirmed by studies showing peak BrdU incorporation on the third day in culture. Whereas DNA synthesis by both E19 and E21 hepatocytes was potentiated by transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), considerable mitogen-independent DNA synthesis was seen in hepatocytes from both gestational ages. These results may indicate that fetal hepatocytes come under the influence of an exogenous, in vivo growth inhibitory factor as term approaches and that this effect is relieved when term fetal hepatocytes are cultured.

Evidence for a direct hepatotrophic role for insulin in the fetal rat: implications for the impaired hepatic growth seen in fetal growth retardation.

Perturbations of fetal growth produce parallel but disproportionate changes in fetal liver growth that correlate with circulating fetal insulin concentration. We have studied the effects of insulin and two hepatotrophic factors, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), on DNA synthesis by fetal and adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture. Using serum-free Minimum Essential Medium, fetal hepatocytes synthesized DNA without growth factors, unlike adult hepatocytes. Insulin augmented fetal hepatocyte DNA synthesis after 16-24 h in culture. In contrast, TGF alpha or HGF maximally stimulated fetal hepatocyte DNA synthesis after 40 h in culture. Insulin and TGF alpha were not synergistic in stimulating fetal hepatocyte DNA synthesis, but were synergistic in their action on adult hepatocytes. Brief (10-min) exposure of fetal hepatocytes to TGF alpha or HGF, but not insulin, activated mitogen-activated protein kinases 4-fold. Prolonged (24-h) exposure to TGF alpha or HGF abolished the ability of either to activate mitogen-activated protein kinases, whereas insulin had no effect. Maternal fasting for 48 h before isolation and culturing of fetal hepatocytes abolished the in vitro stimulation of DNA synthesis by insulin without affecting TGF alpha action. We conclude that insulin has growth-promoting actions on fetal hepatocytes that are distinct and independent from those of TGF alpha of HGF.

Action of trypsin and detergents on tyrosinase of normal and malignant melanocytes.

The T1 variety of tyrosinase is present in both particulate and soluble or readily solubilized forms in the pigmented hypodermis (hair bulbs) of C57BL mice and Harding-Passey mouse melanoma. Trypsin treatment of 35,000g supernatants containing the microsomal (small granule) fraction of gentle homogenates of hair bulbs and melanoma results in significantly increased T1 activity within polyacrylamide gels. Similar treatment of 100,000g supernatants results in a slight increase in T1 activity. Addition of Triton-X or DOC to 35,000g supernatants of hair bulb and melanoma homogenates followed by centrifugation at 100,000g results in a marked enhancement of T1 when the latter supernatants are treated with trypsin. In the absence of trypsin treatment, T1 activity is comparable to nondetergent-treated controls. A slow-moving dopa-reactive band (Ts) is found in electropherograms of the nontrypsinized 100,000g supernants of detergent-treated 35,000g supernatants. It is absent in those treated with trypsin. The slow-moving enzyme appears to give rise to T1 molecules when eluted from acrylamide gels and even to a greater extent when elution is combined with trypsin treatment prior to reelectrophoresis. In mammals, tyrosinase apparently is not derived by a proteolytic activation of protyrosinase.

Lactate dehydrogenase isozymes of mouse epidermis.

Five isozymes of LDH are demonstrable in the epidermis of the ear pinnae, hind feet, trunk dorsa, and tails of adult C57BL, C57HR, and C3HB mice by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. LDH-5 activity predominates in electropherograms. The ratio of LDH-1 to LDH-K is greater in the epidermis of ear pinna and trunk dorsum than in that of tail and hind foot. The region-specific patterns of epidermal LDH isozymes are not correlated with melanin pigmentation or "hairiness' of the skin.