Table 1.

Human hepatic stem cells (hHpSC) and hepatoblasts

Positive markers	Negative markers	Ref.
Human hepatic stem cells
EpCAM, NCAM, CD44H, CD133, CK8/18/19, claudin-3, CXCR4, FOX2, SOX9, SOX17, telomerase, ALB (weak or negligible)	ICAM1, AFP, CD45, CYP450, desmin, VEGFr,	[27, 35]
Hepatoblasts
EpCAM, ICAM-1, AFP, ALB, CD29, CD44H, CD133, CK8, CK19, CYP3A7, DLK1	NCAM, α-SMA, CD14, CD34, CD38, CD45, CD90, CD146, CYP3A4, desmin	[17, 27, 35]
EpCAM, AFP, ALB, DLK1, GPC3	NCAM, CD45, CD235a, CK7	[36]
EpCAM, CD26, CD49f, CD324, CK18, CK19	CD34, CD45, CD133	[37]
EpCAM, ICAM-1, AFP, ALB, CK8, CK18, CK19, CYP3A7, IHH, PTC1, SHH, SOX-9, SOX-17	CD34, CD45	[31]
EpCAM, ICAM-1, AFP, ALB, CK8, CK18, CK19	NCAM, CD31, CD34, CD38, CD45, CD90, CD105, CD146, claudin-3, CYP3A4, desmin, VEGFr	[38]

hHpSC are multipotent and self-renewing precursors for bipotent prenatal hepatoblasts giving rise to mature hepatocytes and cholangiocytes, as well as to other endodermal cell types. hHpSC, hepatoblasts, and most cholangiocytes express EpCAM, whereas mature hepatocytes are EpCAM^-. Both hHpSC and hepatoblasts do not express hematopoietic, endothelial or mesenchymal markers. In general, they are different from each other in that hHpSC are NCAM⁺/ICAM1^-/AFP^-, while hepatoblasts are NCAM^-/ICAM1⁺/AFP⁺

Abbreviations: α-SMA α-smooth muscle actin, IHH Indian hedgehog, SHH Sonic hedgehog.