Laminin-511 and laminin-521 based matrices for efficient hepatic specification of human pluripotent stem cells

In this study, the authors used laminin-511, laminin-521, and fibronectin, as culture matrices for hPSC-derived definitive endoderm cells. By screening the acellular matrix produced by HepaRG cells and found that laminin-511 (LN-511), laminin-521 (LN-521), and fibronectin were highly expressed. The authors observed that laminin-511 and laminin-521 either alone or in combination support the hepatic specification. They did not observe any improvement in cell differentiation efficacy with fibronectin. The expression of the laminin-511/521-specific integrins increased during the definitive endoderm induction and hepatic specification. The hepatic cells differentiated on laminin matrices showed upregulation of liver-specific markers both at mRNA and protein levels, secreted human albumin, stored glycogen, and exhibited cytochrome P450 enzyme activity and inducibility. Use of recombinant matrix proteins is faster, more consistent, more efficient, and more scalable compared to the HepaRG-derived acellular matrix.