Komal Ramani, Heping Yang, John Kuhlenkamp, Lauda Tomasi, Hidekazu Tsukamoto, José M. Mato, Shelly C. Lu – 27 October 2009 – Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is an essential event during liver fibrogenesis. Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) catalyzes biosynthesis of S‐adenosylmethionine (SAMe), the principle methyl donor. SAMe metabolism generates two methylation inhibitors, methylthioadenosine (MTA) and S‐adenosylhomocysteine (SAH).

Edouard Tuaillon, Anne‐Marie Mondain, Fadi Meroueh, Laure Ottomani, Marie‐Christine Picot, Nicolas Nagot, Philippe Van de Perre, Jacques Ducos – 23 October 2009 – We investigated the performance of dried blood spots (DBS) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnosis using modified commercial tests. Paired DBS and serum samples were collected from 200 patients: 100 patients with anti‐HCV antibodies (anti‐HCV), including 62 patients with detectable serum HCV RNA, and 100 patients without anti‐HCV.

Mehdi Mohamadnejad, Muhammad A. Sohail, Azuma Watanabe, Diane S. Krause, E. Scott Swenson, Wajahat Z. Mehal – 23 October 2009 – Bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have therapeutic potential in liver injury, but the signals responsible for MSC localization to sites of injury and initiation of differentiation are not known. Adenosine concentration is increased at sites of cellular injury and inflammation, and adenosine is known to signal a variety of cellular changes.

Young Chul Kim, Mi‐Suk Park – 23 October 2009

Iker Uriarte, Jesús M. Banales, Elena Sáez, Fabián Arenas, Ronald P. J. Oude Elferink, Jesús Prieto, Juan F. Medina – 23 October 2009 – Bicarbonate secretion from cholangiocytes is required for appropriate adjustment of primary canalicular bile along the biliary tract. In human and rat cholangiocytes, bicarbonate secretion is mediated by anion exchanger (AE) 2, an electroneutral Na+‐independent Cl−/HCO 3− AE also involved in intracellular pH (pHi) regulation. In Ae2a,b‐deficient mice, pHi is increased in lymphocytes and fibroblasts, whereas it is surprisingly normal in cholangiocytes.

Hilde Herrema, Maxi Meissner, Theo H. van Dijk, Gemma Brufau, Renze Boverhof, Maaike H. Oosterveer, Dirk‐Jan Reijngoud, Michael Müller, Frans Stellaard, Albert K. Groen, Folkert Kuipers – 23 October 2009 – Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels and dyslipidemia. Bile salt sequestration has been found to improve both plasma glycemic control and cholesterol profiles in diabetic patients. Yet bile salt sequestration is also known to affect triglyceride (TG) metabolism, possibly through signaling pathways involving farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and liver X receptor α (LXRα).

Hisashi Moriguchi, Raymond T. Chung, Chifumi Sato – 22 October 2009

Kenneth E. Sherman, Vincent Soriano, Raymond T. Chung – 22 October 2009

Marina Núñez – 22 October 2009

Takahiro Negishi, Yoko Nagai, Yoichi Asaoka, Mami Ohno, Misako Namae, Hiroshi Mitani, Takashi Sasaki, Nobuyoshi Shimizu, Shuji Terai, Isao Sakaida, Hisato Kondoh, Toshiaki Katada, Makoto Furutani‐Seiki, Hiroshi Nishina – 22 October 2009 – During vertebrate embryogenesis, the liver develops at a precise location along the endodermal primitive gut tube because of signaling delivered by adjacent mesodermal tissues. Although several signaling molecules have been associated with liver formation, the molecular mechanism that regulates liver specification is still unclear.