M. A. Talamini, B. Kappus, A. Hubbard – 30 December 2003 – We have evaluated the biochemical, morphological, and functional redevelopment of polarity in freshly isolated hepatocytes cultured using a double layer collagen gel sandwich technique. Western blot analysis showed increased cellular levels of the cell adhesion protein uvomorulin as cultured hepatocytes repolarized.

P. C. Adams, Y. Deugnier, R. Moirand, P. Brissot – 30 December 2003 – The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between iron overload, age, and clinical symptoms in genetic hemochromatosis. The relationship was studied between clinical symptoms and liver iron concentration, serum ferritin, and iron removed in a retrospective study of 410 homozygotes diagnosed using strict criteria. No significant relationship was found between liver iron concentration, iron removed by venesection, and serum ferritin level with age.

D. Kravetz, G. Romero, J. Argonz, M. Guevara, A. Suarez, R. Abecasis, M. Bildozola, J. Valero, R. Terg – 30 December 2003 – It has been suggested that ascites is a risk factor for variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients. However, no data of total volume paracentesis (TVP) effects on variceal hemodynamics has yet been published. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of TVP on variceal pressure, size, and tension in cirrhotic patients. Before sclerotherapy, 18 cirrhotic patients with grade II esophageal varices were studied.

Mitchell L. Shiffman – 30 December 2003

William J. Wall, Anand Khakhar – 30 December 2003 – Key points

Timothy M. McCashland – 30 December 2003 – Key points

Michael Charlton – 30 December 2003 – Key points

Anton P. McCaffrey, Leonard Meuse, Mobin Karimi, Christopher H. Contag, Mark A. Kay – 30 December 2003 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an RNA virus infecting one in every 40 people worldwide. Current treatments are ineffective and HCV is the leading cause of liver failure leading to transplantation in the United States and Europe. Translational control of HCV is a prime therapeutic target.

Annette Schmitt‐Gräff, Viktoria Ertelt, Hans‐P. Allgaier, Konrad Koelble, Manfred Olschewski, Roland Nitschke, Marie‐L. Bochaton‐Piallat, Giulio Gabbiani, Hubert E. Blum – 30 December 2003 – The cellular retinol‐binding protein‐1 (CRBP‐1) plays a key role in the esterification and intercellular transfer of retinol. By in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), we show that, in normal liver, CRBP‐1 is strongly expressed in the cytoplasm of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and myofibroblasts (MFs) with only low CRBP‐1 levels in hepatocytes.

Joseph Locker, Jianmin Tian, Robert Carver, Danilo Concas, Costanza Cossu, Giovanna M. Ledda‐Columbano, Amedeo Columbano – 30 December 2003 – Partial hepatectomy (PH) and some tumor‐promoting agents stimulate hepatocyte cell proliferation, but each treatment acts through distinct transcription factors. We compared mouse immediate‐early gene expression changes after PH with those induced by 1,4‐bis[2‐(3,5‐dichoropyridyloxy)]benzene (TCPOBOP), a tumor‐promoting liver mitogen.