| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Regular Articles |

From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine,*
Curriculum in Toxicology, UNC Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of
Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and the Department of Medical
Oncology,
Rhode Island Hospital, Brown
University, Providence, Rhode Island
The adult rodent liver contains at least two recognized populations of cells with stem-like properties that contribute to liver repair/regeneration under different pathophysiological circumstances: (i) unipotential committed progenitor cells (differentiated hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells) and (ii) multipotential nonparenchymal progenitor cells (oval cells). In retrorsine-induced hepatocellular injury the capacity of fully differentiated rat hepatocytes to replicate is severely impaired and massive proliferation of oval cells does not occur. Nevertheless, retrorsine-exposed rats can replace their entire liver mass after 2/3 surgical partial hepatectomy through the emergence and expansion of a population of small hepatocyte-like progenitor cells that expresses phenotypic characteristics of fetal hepatoblasts, oval cells, and fully differentiated hepatocytes, but differ distinctly from each type of cell. The activation, proliferation, and complete regeneration of normal liver structure from small hepatocyte-like progenitor cells have not been recognized in other models of liver injury characterized by impaired hepatocyte replication. We suggest that the selective emergence and expansion of small hepatocyte-like progenitor cells observed in the retrorsine model reflect a novel mechanism of complete liver regeneration in the adult rat. Furthermore, we suggest that these cells may represent a novel progenitor cell population that (i) responds to liver deficit when the replication capacity of differentiated hepatocytes is impaired, (ii) expresses an extensive proliferative capacity, (iii) can give rise to large numbers of progeny hepatocytes, and (iv) can restore tissue mass.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
X.-Z. Wu Origin of Cancer Stem Cells: The Role of Self-Renewal and Differentiation Ann. Surg. Oncol., February 1, 2008; 15(2): 407 - 414. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. B. Herrera, S. Bruno, S. Buttiglieri, C. Tetta, S. Gatti, M. C. Deregibus, B. Bussolati, and G. Camussi Isolation and Characterization of a Stem Cell Population from Adult Human Liver Stem Cells, December 1, 2006; 24(12): 2840 - 2850. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Simper-Ronan, K. Brilliant, D. Flanagan, M. Carreiro, H. Callanan, E. Sabo, and D. C. Hixson Cholangiocyte marker-positive and -negative fetal liver cells differ significantly in their ability to regenerate the livers of adult rats exposed to retrorsine Development, November 1, 2006; 133(21): 4269 - 4279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. H. Walkup and D. A. Gerber Hepatic Stem Cells: In Search of Stem Cells, August 1, 2006; 24(8): 1833 - 1840. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C.-C. Chien, B. L. Yen, F.-K. Lee, T.-H. Lai, Y.-C. Chen, S.-H. Chan, and H.-I Huang In Vitro Differentiation of Human Placenta-Derived Multipotent Cells into Hepatocyte-Like Cells Stem Cells, July 1, 2006; 24(7): 1759 - 1768. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W.-L. Li, J. Su, Y.-C. Yao, X.-R. Tao, Y.-B. Yan, H.-Y. Yu, X.-M. Wang, J.-X. Li, Y.-J. Yang, J. T.Y. Lau, et al. Isolation and Characterization of Bipotent Liver Progenitor Cells from Adult Mouse Stem Cells, February 1, 2006; 24(2): 322 - 332. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Masson, D. J. Harrison, J. N. Plevris, and P. N. Newsome Potential of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Therapy in Hepatology: A Critical Review Stem Cells, November 1, 2004; 22(6): 897 - 907. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. H. Jensen, E. I. Jauho, E. Santoni-Rugiu, U. Holmskov, B. Teisner, N. Tygstrup, and H. C. Bisgaard Transit-Amplifying Ductular (Oval) Cells and Their Hepatocytic Progeny Are Characterized by a Novel and Distinctive Expression of Delta-Like Protein/Preadipocyte Factor 1/Fetal Antigen 1 Am. J. Pathol., April 1, 2004; 164(4): 1347 - 1359. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. L. Copple, C. M. Rondelli, J. F. Maddox, N. C. Hoglen, P. E. Ganey, and R. A. Roth Modes of Cell Death in Rat Liver after Monocrotaline Exposure Toxicol. Sci., January 1, 2004; 77(1): 172 - 182. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. W. Grisham and W. B. Coleman Molecular Regulation of Hepatocyte Generation in Adult Animals Am. J. Pathol., October 1, 2002; 161(4): 1107 - 1110. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. C. Bisgaard, U. Holmskov, E. Santoni-Rugiu, P. Nagy, O. Nielsen, P. Ott, E. Hage, K. Dalhoff, L. J. Rasmussen, and N. Tygstrup Heterogeneity of Ductular Reactions in Adult Rat and Human Liver Revealed by Novel Expression of Deleted in Malignant Brain Tumor 1 Am. J. Pathol., October 1, 2002; 161(4): 1187 - 1198. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. G. Tralhao, J. Roudier, S. Morosan, C. Giannini, H. Tu, C. Goulenok, F. Carnot, F. Zavala, V. Joulin, D. Kremsdorf, et al. Paracrine in vivo inhibitory effects of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) on liver cell proliferation: An alternative mechanism of HBx-related pathogenesis PNAS, May 14, 2002; 99(10): 6991 - 6996. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Laconi, S. Pillai, P. Paolo Porcu, D. A. Shafritz, P. Pani, and E. Laconi Massive Liver Replacement by Transplanted Hepatocytes in the Absence of Exogenous Growth Stimuli in Rats Treated with Retrorsine Am. J. Pathol., February 1, 2001; 158(2): 771 - 777. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Katayama, C. Tateno, T. Asahara, and K. Yoshizato Size-Dependent in Vivo Growth Potential of Adult Rat Hepatocytes Am. J. Pathol., January 1, 2001; 158(1): 97 - 105. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. J. Gordon, W. B. Coleman, and J. W. Grisham Temporal Analysis of Hepatocyte Differentiation by Small Hepatocyte-Like Progenitor Cells during Liver Regeneration in Retrorsine-Exposed Rats Am. J. Pathol., September 1, 2000; 157(3): 771 - 786. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. M. Braun and E. P. Sandgren Cellular Origin of Regenerating Parenchyma in a Mouse Model of Severe Hepatic Injury Am. J. Pathol., August 1, 2000; 157(2): 561 - 569. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Laconi Differential Growth: From Carcinogenesis to Liver Repopulation Am. J. Pathol., February 1, 2000; 156(2): 389 - 392. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |