[Pathophysiology of cholangiocytes: recent advances].
A bulk of researches performed in the last decade highlighted the extraordinary biological properties of cholangiocytes involved in a number of important processes such as bile formation, proliferation, injury repair, fibrosis, angiogenesis and regulation of blood flow. Cholangiocytes proliferation is a key mechanism capable of conditioning the evolution of liver damage. Proliferating cholangiocytes, in fact, acquire the phenotype of neuroendocrine cells and secrete different substances which represent the tools of cross-talk with other hepatic cells. Recent advances on the molecular and cell biology of cholangiocytes are opening new potential therapeutic perspectives for the human chronic liver diseases.
Divisione di Gastroenterologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Università La Sapienza, Roma.
Maria Grazia
MG
Mancino
Domenico
D
Alvaro
D000818:Animals; D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019610:Cytoprotection; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000628:therapy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*