c-kit+ stem cells and thymocyte precursors in the livers of adult mice.

Livers of the adult mice contain c-kit+ stem cells that can reconstitute thymocytes, multiple lineage cells, and bone marrow (BM) stem cells. Transfer of 1 x 10(7) hepatic mononuclear cells (MNC) and 5 x 10(4) hepatic c-kit+ cells of BALB/c mice induced DP thymocytes within a week in four Gy-irradiated CB17/-SCID mice, but 2 wk were required for BM cells or BM c-kit+ cells to produce DP thymocytes. Moreover, B cell-depleted BM cells or liver MNC of SCID mice that had been rescued by hepatic MNC of BALB/c mice again reconstituted thymus and B cells of other irradiated SCID mice. CD3- IL-2R beta- populations of both BM cells and hepatic MNC of C57BL/6 (B6) mice could generate T cells with intermediate TCR (mostly NK1.1-) in the liver of irradiated B6 SCID mice before thymic reconstitution (extrathymic T cells). Furthermore, transfer of liver c-kit+ cells of B6-Ly 5.1 mice into irradiated B6 SCID (Ly5.2) mice revealed that liver c-kit+ cells can reconstitute myeloid and erythroid lineage cells. These results strongly suggest that the liver contains pluripotent stem cells and serves an important hematopoietic organ even into adulthood.