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Hepatic progenitor cells in liver regeneration: current advances and clinical perspectives
Author(s) -
Katoonizadeh Aezam,
Poustchi Hossein,
Malekzadeh Reza
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/liv.12573
Subject(s) - progenitor cell , liver regeneration , regeneration (biology) , stem cell , population , cell , cell type , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , hepatocyte , cancer research , progenitor , cell therapy , bioinformatics , medicine , in vitro , biochemistry , environmental health
Abstract When there is a massive loss of hepatocytes and/or an inhibition in the proliferative capacity of the mature hepatocytes, activation of a dormant cell population of resident hepatic progenitor cells ( HPC s) occurs. Depending on the type of liver damage HPC s generate new hepatocytes and biliary cells to repopulate the liver placing them as potential candidates for cell therapy in human liver failure. Liver injury specific mechanisms through which HPC s differentiate towards mature epithelial cell types are recently become understood. Such new insights will enable us not only to direct HPC s behaviour for therapeutic purposes, but also to develop clinically feasible methods for in vivo differentiation of other stem cell types towards functional hepatocytes. This review aimed to provide the current improved knowledge of the role of HPC s niche and its signals in directing the behaviour and fate of HPC s and to translate this basic knowledge of HPC s activation/differentiation into its clinical applications.