View source for Hep G2

{{Short description|Human liver cancer cell line}}
[[Image:HepG2.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Hep G2 Cells]]

'''Hep&nbsp;G2''' (or '''HepG2''') is a  human liver cancer [[cell line]].

Hep&nbsp;G2 is an [[Biological immortality|immortal cell line]] which was derived in 1975 from the liver tissue of a 15-year-old Caucasian male from Argentina with a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Aden DP, Fogel A, Plotkin S, Damjanov I, Knowles BB | title = Controlled synthesis of HBsAg in a differentiated human liver carcinoma-derived cell line | journal = Nature | volume = 282 | issue = 5739 | pages = 615–616 | date = December 1979 | pmid = 233137 | doi = 10.1038/282615a0 | s2cid = 4359386 | bibcode = 1979Natur.282..615A }}</ref> These cells are [[epithelium|epithelial]] in morphology, have a modal [[Ploidy|chromosome number]] of 55, and are not tumorigenic in [[nude mice]].<ref>[http://www.atcc.org/products/all/HB-8065.aspx Hep&nbsp;G2], [[American Type Culture Collection]]</ref> The cells secrete a variety of major plasma proteins, e.g., [[albumin]], and the acute-phase proteins [[fibrinogen]], [[alpha-2-Macroglobulin|alpha 2-macroglobulin]], [[alpha 1-antitrypsin]], [[transferrin]] and [[plasmin]]ogen.{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}} They have been grown successfully in large-scale cultivation systems. [[Hepatitis B]] virus surface antigens have not been detected. Hep&nbsp;G2 will respond to stimulation with human [[growth hormone]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}}

Hep&nbsp;G2 cells are a suitable ''in vitro'' model system for the study of polarized human hepatocytes. Another well-characterized polarized hepatocyte cell line is the rat hepatoma-derived hybrid cell line WIF-B.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ihrke G, Neufeld EB, Meads T, Shanks MR, Cassio D, Laurent M, Schroer TA, Pagano RE, Hubbard AL | display-authors = 6 | title = WIF-B cells: an in vitro model for studies of hepatocyte polarity | journal = The Journal of Cell Biology | volume = 123 | issue = 6 Pt 2 | pages = 1761–1775 | date = December 1993 | pmid = 7506266 | pmc = 2290861 | doi = 10.1083/jcb.123.6.1761 }}</ref> With the proper culture conditions, Hep&nbsp;G2 cells display robust morphological and functional differentiation with a controllable formation of apical and basolateral cell surface domains (van IJzendoorn et al., 1997; 2000, etc.) that resemble the bile canalicular (BC) and sinusoidal domains, respectively, ''in vivo''.

Because of their high degree of morphological and functional differentiation ''in vitro'', Hep&nbsp;G2 cells are a suitable model to study the intracellular trafficking and dynamics of bile canalicular, [[Liver sinusoid|sinusoidal]] membrane proteins, and lipids in human hepatocytes ''in vitro''.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Moscato S, Ronca F, Campani D, Danti S | title = Poly(vinyl alcohol)/gelatin Hydrogels Cultured with HepG2 Cells as a 3D Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Morphological Study | journal = Journal of Functional Biomaterials | volume = 6 | issue = 1 | pages = 16–32 | date = January 2015 | pmid = 25590431 | pmc = 4384098 | doi = 10.3390/jfb6010016 | doi-access = free }}</ref>  This can be important for the study of human liver diseases that are caused by an incorrect subcellular distribution of cell surface proteins, e.g., hepatocanalicular transport defects such as Dubin-Johnson Syndrome and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), and familial hypercholesterolemia.{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}} Hep&nbsp;G2 cells and their derivatives are also used as a model system for studies of liver metabolism and toxicity of [[xenobiotics]],<ref>{{cite web| vauthors = Fanelli A |title=HepG2 (liver hepatocellular carcinoma): cell culture|date=2016|access-date=3 December 2017|url=http://www.hepg2.com/| work = HepG2 }}</ref> the detection of environmental and dietary [[cytotoxic]] and [[genotoxic]] (and thus cytoprotective, anti-genotoxic, and cogenotoxic) agents,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mersch-Sundermann V, Knasmüller S, Wu XJ, Darroudi F, Kassie F | title = Use of a human-derived liver cell line for the detection of cytoprotective, antigenotoxic and cogenotoxic agents | journal = Toxicology | volume = 198 | issue = 1–3 | pages = 329–340 | date = May 2004 | pmid = 15138059 | pmc =  | doi = 10.1016/j.tox.2004.02.009 }}</ref> understanding hepatocarcinogenesis {{Citation needed|date=February 2013}}, and for drug targeting studies {{Citation needed|date=February 2013}}. Hep&nbsp;G2 cells are also employed in trials with bio-artificial liver devices {{Citation needed|date=February 2013}}.

== References ==
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== External links ==
*[http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/sigma/85011430?lang=en&region=SG Sigma Aldrich Sales Page for Hep G2]
*[http://www.atcc.org/products/all/HB-8065.aspx ATCC Sales Page for Hep&nbsp;G2]
*[https://www.cellosaurus.org/CVCL_0027 Cellosaurus entry for Hep&nbsp;G2]
*[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0046817709002524 Hep&nbsp;G2 is a hepatoblastoma-derived cell line]

[[Category:Human cell lines]]