Sinusoidal endothelial cells prevent rat stellate cell activation and promote reversion to quiescence

Laurie D. DeLeve, Xiangdong Wang, Yumei Guo – 11 April 2008 – Capillarization precedes hepatic fibrosis. We hypothesize that capillarization of sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) is permissive for hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and therefore permissive for fibrosis. We examined whether freshly isolated SECs prevent activation of HSCs and promote reversion to quiescence, and whether this effect was lost in capillarization. HSCs were cultured alone or co‐cultured with differentiated or capillarized SECs.

Autophagy in the liver

Xiao‐Ming Yin, Wen‐Xing Ding, Wentao Gao – 7 April 2008 – A great part of our current understanding of mammalian macroautophagy is derived from studies of the liver. The term “autophagy” was introduced by Christian de Duve in part based on ultrastructural changes in rat liver following glucagon injection. Subsequent morphological, biochemical, and kinetics studies of autophagy in the liver defined the basic process of autophagosome formation, maturation, and degradation and the regulation of autophagy by hormones, phosphoinositide 3‐kinases, and mammalian target of rapamycin.

Ammonia induces RNA oxidation in cultured astrocytes and brain in vivo

Boris Görg, Natalia Qvartskhava, Verena Keitel, Hans J. Bidmon, Oliver Selbach, Freimut Schliess, Dieter Häussinger – 28 March 2008 – Oxidative stress plays a major role in cerebral ammonia toxicity and the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). As shown in this study, ammonia induces a rapid RNA oxidation in cultured rat astrocytes, vital mouse brain slices, and rat brain in vivo.

Multidrug resistance–associated proteins are crucial for the viability of activated rat hepatic stellate cells

Rebekka A. Hannivoort, Sandra Dunning, Sara Vander Borght, Ben Schroyen, Jannes Woudenberg, Fiona Oakley, Manon Buist‐Homan, Fiona A. J. van den Heuvel, Mariska Geuken, Albert Geerts, Tania Roskams, Klaas Nico Faber, Han Moshage – 28 March 2008 – Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) survive and proliferate in the chronically injured liver. ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters play a crucial role in cell viability by transporting toxic metabolites or xenobiotics out of the cell.

Liver xenografts for the treatment of acute liver failure: Clinical and experimental experience and remaining immunologic barriers

Hidetaka Hara, Bruno Gridelli, Yih Jyh Lin, Amadeo Marcos, David K. C. Cooper – 26 March 2008 – A critical element restricting the application of liver transplantation is the shortage of human deceased donor organs. Xenotransplantation using pig organs might be a solution to this shortage.

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