Fig. 3
From: The stemness of hepatocytes is maintained by high levels of lipopolysaccharide via YAP1 activation
LPS supplementation enhanced hepatocytes to acquire the features of hepatic progenitor-like cells in the reprogramming medium. a The relative mRNA expression of pluripotent and stem cell markers in AML12 cells cultured in basic medium and in AML12 cells cultured in reprogramming medium with or without LPS for 2 weeks. Control: AML12 cells were cultured in basic medium; LPS (−): AML12 cells were cultured in reprogramming medium without LPS; LPS (+): AML12 cells were cultured in reprogramming medium containing LPS. b Western blot assay of TLR4, Sox2, cMyc, Klf4, and Sox9 in AML12 cells in the control, LPS (−), and LPS (+) groups. c, d Representative phase-contrast (c) and immunofluorescence images of staining for pluripotent and hepatic progenitor cell markers (d) in AML12 cells in the control, LPS (−), and LPS (+) groups. Scale bars, 50 μm. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001