Fig. 4.
Beta-catenin is dispensable for cell fate determination of cholangiocyte precurors. Lineage tracing of the cholangiocyte precusors labeled at E14.5 (Sox9-CreER/βCatKO/Rosa26ReYFP) showed that these cells generate bile ducts and periportal hepatocytes in postnatal livers, in the presence (Sox9-CreER/βCatWT/Rosa26ReYFP) or absence (Sox9-CreER/βCatKO/Rosa26ReYFP) of β-catenin. Periportal hepatocytes derived from the wild-type or β-catenin-deficient cholangiocyte precursors expressed carbamoyl-phosphate-synthetase-1 (CPS1), but not glutamine synthetase (GS). βCat, β-catenin; cv, central vein; Ecad, E-cadherin; pv, portal vein; YFP, yellow fluorescent protein; *, lumen of bile duct, scale bar (200 μm).