title: Three-dimensional reconstructions of intrahepatic bile duct tubulogenesis in human liver.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During liver development, intrahepatic bile ducts are thought to arise by a unique asymmetric mode of cholangiocyte tubulogenesis characterized by a series of remodeling stages. Moreover, in liver diseases, cells lining the Canals of Hering can proliferate and generate new hepatic tissue. The aim of this study was to develop protocols for three-dimensional visualization of protein expression, hepatic portal structures and human hepatic cholangiocyte tubulogenesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Protocols were developed to digitally visualize portal vessel branching and protein expression of hepatic cell lineage and extracellular matrix deposition markers in three dimensions. Samples from human prenatal livers ranging from 7 weeks + 2 days to 15½ weeks post conception as well as adult normal and acetaminophen intoxicated liver were used. The markers included cytokeratins (CK) 7 and 19, the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), hepatocyte paraffin 1 (HepPar1), sex determining region Y (SRY)-box 9 (SOX9), laminin, nestin, and aquaporin 1 (AQP1).Digital three-dimensional reconstructions using CK19 as a single marker protein disclosed a fine network of CK19 positive cells in the biliary tree in normal liver and in the extensive ductular reactions originating from intrahepatic bile ducts and branching into the parenchyma of the acetaminophen intoxicated liver. In the developing human liver, three-dimensional reconstructions using multiple marker proteins confirmed that the human intrahepatic biliary tree forms through several developmental stages involving an initial transition of primitive hepatocytes into cholangiocytes shaping the ductal plate followed by a process of maturation and remodeling where the intrahepatic biliary tree develops through an asymmetrical form of cholangiocyte tubulogenesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developed protocols provide a novel and sophisticated three-dimensional visualization of vessels and protein expression in human liver during development and disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Vestentoft
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jelnes
authors.forename: Branden M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hopkinson
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vainer
authors.forename: Kjeld
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Møllgård
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Quistorff
authors.forename: Hanne C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Bisgaard
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000196:embryology; D015415:Biomarkers; D019070:Cell Lineage; D005109:Extracellular Matrix; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000082:Acetaminophen