Fig. 2

iHepL cells upregulate hepatic mRNA. Total RNA was extracted from hepatic progenitor-like (iHepL) cells, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF), primary cultured mouse hepatocytes (PMH) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). Expression levels of epithelial markers (a), mesenchymal markers (b), and pluripotency markers (c) were assessed by qRT-PCR and plotted as relative gene expression. Data are represented as mean ± SD from iHepL cells (n = 6; three infections and two biological replicates each), MEF (n = 3), PMH (n = 4), and iPSC (n = 3). Student’s t test was performed between iHepL and the other groups; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01. d Representative fluorescence images of iHepL, mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC), and MEF immunostained for E-cadherin and the pluripotency markers Nanog and Ssea-1. Nuclei were stained with DAPI. e mRNA levels of multiple hepatic markers were measured by qRT-PCR in total RNA extracted from MEF and iHepL cells. Data are represented as mean ± SD from iHepL cells (n = 6; three infections and two biological replicates each), MEF (n = 3), and PMH (n = 4). Student’s t test was performed between iHepL and the other groups; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01