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Liver regeneration is the process by which the liver is able to replace damaged or lost liver tissue. The liver is the only visceral organ with the capacity to regenerate. [1] [2] The liver can regenerate after partial hepatectomy or injury due to hepatotoxic agents such as certain medications, toxins, or chemicals. [3]
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) or scatter factor (SF) is a paracrine cellular growth, motility and morphogenic factor. It is secreted by mesenchymal cells and targets and acts primarily upon epithelial cells and endothelial cells , but also acts on haemopoietic progenitor cells and T cells .
The prevailing theory for the development of autoimmune hepatitis is thought to be the interplay of genetic predisposition, an environmental trigger (virus, drugs, herbs, immunizations), and failure of the native immune system resulting in chronic inflammation of hepatocytes and subsequent fibrosis of the liver. [7] [8] [9]
As the immune system exhibits inhibitory or inflammatory functions during regeneration, the therapies are focused on either stopping these processes or control the immune cells setting in a regenerative way, suggesting that interplay between damaged tissue and immune system response must be well-balanced.
Natural killer cells are the primary drivers of the initial innate response and create a cytokine environment that results in the recruitment of CD4 T-helper and CD8 cytotoxic T-cells. [63] [64] Type I interferons are the cytokines that drive the antiviral response. [64] In chronic Hepatitis B and C, natural killer cell function is impaired. [63]
Cirrhosis associated immune dysfunction is caused by reduced complement component synthesis in the liver including C3, C4 and reduced total complement activity . [130] The complement system is a part of the innate immune system and assists immune cells and antibodies in destroying pathogens. The liver produces compliment factors, but this may ...
In addition, pharmaceutical industry has heavily relied on the use of hepatocytes in suspension or culture to explore mechanisms of drug metabolism and even predict in vivo drug metabolism. For these purposes, hepatocytes are usually isolated from animal or human [8] whole liver or liver tissue by collagenase digestion, which is a two-step process.
Hepatocytes constitute about 80% of the cell population of the liver, with the other 20% being occupied by Kupffer cells, hepatic stellate cells, endothelial cells and mesothelial cells, which are not exactly characteristic of the liver, but are present in the liver samples. [2] Histologically speaking, hepatocytes have specific characteristics.