title: New knowledge in primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: The autoantibodies characteristic of the disease react against mitochondrial enzymes essential to the function of all body cells, yet the disease is highly focused on only one tissue: the epithelial lining of intrahepatic bile ductules. The explanation may lie in tissue-specific cell-surface expression of a triggering antigen.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gershwin
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Mackay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D015551:Autoimmunity; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001323:Autoantibodies; D000939:Epitopes