Biliary tree stem/progenitor cells and perspectives in physiopathology and regenerative medicine

We have recently demonstrated the presence of cells expressing a constellation of endodermal markers in (peri)-biliary glands of extrahepatic bile ducts. These observations in situ in human tissues have been achieved by the in vitro demonstration that a subpopulation of cells [Pdx1+ (pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1+)⁄Sox17+⁄EpCAM+ (epithelial cell adhesion molecule+)] isolated from the biliary epithelium have long-term (in vitro) persistence and self-renewal, and are able to give rise to a more restricted progeny towards different mature lineages (hepatocytes, cholangiocytes and β-pancreatic cells). The discovery of these cells, named human biliary tree stem/progenitor cells, opens a new scenario impacting many different aspects of hepato-gastroenterology including embryology of liver, biliary epithelium and pancreas, biliary pathophysiology, hep