Investigation of the signal network regulating adult liver progenitor cells(oval cells) involved in liver regeneration

在肝细胞增殖受损的严重受损的肝脏中，兼性肝干/祖细胞(卵圆细胞)增殖，并被认为有助于再生。我们试图通过关注卵圆细胞激活过程中可能发生的细胞与细胞之间的相互作用来阐明其潜在的机制，并确定了一种新的细胞群体，它提供了一个关键的细胞间信号分子，从而支持和调节椭圆形细胞。

In severely damaged livers where hepatocyte proliferation is impaired, facultative liver stem/progenitor cells(oval cells) proliferate and are assumed to contribute to regeneration. We sought to elucidate the underlying mechanisms by focusing on cell-to-cell interaction that may take place in the course of oval cell activation, and have identified a novel cell population that provides a critical intercellular signaling molecule, thereby supporting and regulating oval cells.