Suppression of lethal‐7b and miR‐125a/b Maturation by Lin28b Enables Maintenance of Stem Cell Properties in Hepatoblasts

Abstract

Lin28b was specifically expressed in hepatoblasts, and its suppression induced growth arrest and cholangiocyte differentiation of hepatoblasts; mechanistically, Lin28b positively regulates the expression of Lin28b itself and cell cycle-related proteins in hepatoblasts by suppressing the maturation of target microRNAs, lethal-7b and miR-125a/b, enabling maintenance of the stem cell properties of hepatoblasts, such as their capabilities for proliferation and bi-lineage differentiation, during liver development. (Hepatology 2016;64:245-260).