Chemically induced liver progenitor (CLiP) cells, converted in vitro from mature hepatocytes, possess the bipotentiality to differentiate into both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Here, we aimed to investigate the optimal conditions for bile duct (BD) induction from rat CLiPs. A two-step induction protocol was used for the differentiation of cholangiocytes. We investigated the effects of passage number, preincubation times, Matrigel, and mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder cells on the induction of cholangiocytes. Earlier passages of CLiPs were better for BD induction compared with stable CLiPs. Extending the preincubation time of CLiPs before induction delayed the formation of the BD. Matrigel provided cells with space to form three-dimensional (3D) structures, but the long-term use of Matrigel from the induction step did not benefit the differentiation of CLiPs to cholangiocytes. MEF feeder cells, through the Jag/Notch pathway, affected BD formation and function, as well as gene and protein expression. CLiPs were a good cell source for cholangiocyte differentiation under appropriate conditions and may offer a key vehicle for the study of cholangiopathies in vitro.

化学诱导的肝祖细胞（CLiP），在体外转化来自成熟肝细胞的细胞具有双向分化能力，可以分化为肝细胞和胆管细胞。在这里，我们旨在研究从大鼠CLiPs诱导胆管（BD）诱导的最佳条件。两步诱导方案用于胆管细胞的分化。我们调查了传代次数，预孵育时间，基质胶和小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞（MEF）饲养细胞对胆管细胞诱导的影响。与稳定的CLiPs相比，CLiPs的早期传代对BD的诱导更好。诱导前延长CLiPs的预孵育时间会延迟BD的形成。Matrigel为细胞提供了形成三维（3D）结构的空间，但是从诱导步骤开始长期使用Matrigel不利于CLiPs分化为胆管细胞。MEF饲养细胞，通过Jag / Notch途径，影响了BD的形成和功能，以及基因和蛋白质表达。在适当的条件下，CLiPs是胆管细胞分化的良好细胞来源，可能为研究胆管病提供关键工具体外。