Characterization of hBMSCs and hBMSC-HLCs. Cultured hBMSCs were positive for CD29 and CD90 but negative for CD34 and CD45 (A). hBMSCs exhibited a fibroblast-like morphology (B-1) and differentiated into adipocytes (B-2) and osteocytes (B-3); ×10, ×20 and ×10 magnification. After 20 days of hepatogenic induction, the cells exhibited a polygonal morphology (C-1) and were positive for immunohistochemical staining for ALB (C-2) and PAS staining for glycogen accumulation (C-3); ×4, ×4 and ×10 magnification. (D) RT-PCR of hepatocyte-specific genes. The lanes, from left to right, represent undifferentiated hBMSCs (D0), hepatogenic differentiation on day 10 (D10) and day 20 (D20), primary human hepatocytes (HHs), and the marker. ALB, albumin; AFP, α-fetoprotein; TAT, tyrosine aminotransferase; TDO2, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase.