A method of obtaining a mixture of cells enriched in hepatic progenitors isdeveloped which comprises methods yielding suspensions of a mixture of celltypes, and selecting those cells that are classical MHC class I antigen(s)negative and ICAM-1 antigen positive. The weak or dull expression ofnonclassical MHC class I antigen(s) can be used for further enrichment ofhepatic progenitors. Furthermore, the progenitors can be selected to have alevel of side scatter a measure of granularity or cytoplasmic droplets, thatis higher than that in non-parenchymal cells, such as hemopoietic cells, andlower than that in mature parenchymal cells, such as hepatocytes. Furthermore,the progeny of the isolated progenitors can express alpha-fetoprotein and/oralbumin and/or CK19. The hepatic progenitors, so isolated, can grow clonally,that is an entire population of progeny can be derived from one cell. Theclones of progenitors have a growth pattern in culture of piled-up aggregatesor clusters. These methods of isolating the hepatic progenitors are applicableto any vertebrates including human. The hepatic progenitor cell population isexpected to be useful for cell therapies, for bioartificial livers, for genetherapies, for vaccine development, and for myriad toxicological,pharmacological, and pharmaceutical programs and investigations.
