Interleukin (IL)-2 administration has been shown to decrease CYP3A enzyme activity in vivo. To determine whether IL-2 suppression of human hepatocyte CYP3A activity is direct or whether it is facilitated by the presence of Kupffer cells, primary human hepatocytes were cultured alone or cocultured with primary human Kupffer cells at physiologic hepatocyte/Kupffer cell ratios of 10:1 or 10:4. Usi...

Hepatocyte apoptosis has been implicated in the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. However, it is unclear whether the induction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-mediated hepatocyte apoptosis in the simple fatty liver triggers liver fibrosis. To address this question, high-fat diet-fed mice were repeatedly administered D-galactosamine, which increases the sensitivity of hepatocytes to ...

Fibrosis, driven by inflammation, marks the transition from benign to progressive stages of chronic liver diseases. Although inflammation promotes fibrogenesis, it is not known whether other events, such as hepatocyte death, are required for the development of fibrosis. Interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) regulates hepatocyte apoptosis and production of type I IFNs. In the liver, IRF3 is acti...

Isolated rat hepatocytes in culture were incubated with different concentrations of iron-sorbitol (50, 100, 150, and 200 µM) to assess the changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation leading to apoptotic hepatocyte cell death. The viability of hepatocytes was declined depending on the iron concentration. One hour incubation of the cells with 100 µM iron resulted in decreased...

Isolated rat hepatocytes in culture were incubated with different concentrations of iron-sorbitol (50, 100, 150, and 200 µM) to assess the changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation leading to apoptotic hepatocyte cell death. The viability of hepatocytes was declined depending on the iron concentration. One hour incubation of the cells with 100 µM iron resulted in decreased...

In the liver, the hepatocyte mass is kept stable through a tight balance between hepatocyte death and proliferation that is frequently lost upon acute or chronic liver injury. Wuestefeld et al. (2013) now identify a potentially druggable target that enhances hepatocyte proliferation and promotes liver regeneration, thereby preventing liver failure.

The correct functioning of hepatocytes requires the establishment and maintenance of hepatocyte polarity. However, the mechanisms regulating the generation of hepatocyte polarity are not completely understood. The differentiation of human fetal hepatic progenitor cells (hFHPCs) into functional hepatocytes provides a powerful in vitro model system for studying the molecular mechanisms governing ...

Grb2-associated binder 1 (Gab1) adaptor protein amplifies signals downstream of a broad range of growth factors/receptor tyrosine kinases. Although these signals are implicated in liver fibrogenesis, the role of Gab1 remains unclear. To elucidate the role of Gab1, liver fibrosis was examined in hepatocyte-specific Gab1-conditional knockout (Gab1CKO) mice upon bile duct ligation (BDL). Gab1CKO m...

Microfabrication and micropatterning techniques in tissue engineering offer great potential for creating and controlling cellular microenvironments including cell-matrix interactions, soluble stimuli and cell-cell interactions. Here, we present a novel approach to generate layered patterning of hepatocyte spheroids on micropatterned non-parenchymal feeder cells using microfabricated poly(ethyle...

[Purpose] The present study aimed to determine the effects of short muscle strength exercise on hepatocyte growth factor expression and satellite cell activation. [Subjects] The study included 72 2-12-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. [Methods] The rat plantaris muscle was contracted with a 5-min electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve, and then, the mRNA expressions of hepatocyte growth f...