The role of the adiponectin receptors in liver fibrosis

晚期肝瘢痕（纤维化）每年导致1500名澳大利亚人死亡。我们社区三分之二的人超重或肥胖，这就是肝病。脂肪分泌的一种蛋白质脂联素可能很重要，因为它作用于肝细胞，促进纤维化。为了了解脂联素的作用，我们将使用脂联素受体基因敲除小鼠，研究其对肝细胞的作用。这项研究将提高我们对肝脏瘢痕生物学和患者治疗的理解。

Advanced liver scarring (fibrosis) contributes to the death of 1500 Australians annually. Two-thirds of our community is overweight or obese, and this worsens liver disease. A protein secreted by fat, adiponectin, may be important as it acts on liver cells to promote fibrosis. To understand adiponectins role, we will use mice null for adiponectin receptor genes and study its action on liver cells. This study will improve our understanding of liver scarring biology and patient treatments.