Cell types in long-term propagable cultures of rat liver.

Under the conditions of this experiment, propagable hepatic epithelial cells in long-term culture were derived from a small, nonparenchymal precursor cell present in the liver in vivo. Progeny of the nonparenchymal precursor cell weakly expressed some hepatocyte-like properties in culture. Hepatocytes were not clonogenic under the conditions of this experiment. Propagable hepatic epithelial cells in long-term culture probably originate from hepatic stem cells in vivo. Terminal biliary ductular cells are facultative stem cells for hepatocytes.