title: A review of animal models for portal vein embolization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Portal vein embolization (PVE) is a preoperative intervention to increase the future remnant liver (FRL) through regeneration of the non-embolized liver lobes. This review assesses all the relevant animal models of PVE available, to guide researchers who intend to study PVE.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a systematic literature search in Medline and Pubmed, from 1993-June 2013, using search headings "PVE" and "portal vein ligation". Articles were included when meeting the selection criteria: experimental animal study on PVE or portal vein ligation and experiments described in 5 animals or more.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-one articles were selected, describing six different animal models. Most articles reported experiments with rats, rabbits, and pigs. In rats, the increase in wet-weight ratio of the non-occluded liver or total liver weight is greatest in the first 7 d with values ranging from 75%-80.5% on day 7. The volume increase of FRL in the rabbit model is greatest in the first 7 d with values ranging from 33.6%-80% on day 7. In pigs, the largest gain in volume of the FRL was seen in the first 2 wk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The choice of the model depends on the specific aim of the study. Evaluating the increase in liver volume and liver function after PVE, larger animals as the pig, rabbit, or the dog is useful because of the possibility to apply computed tomography volumetry. To evaluate mechanisms of regeneration after PVE, the rat model is useful, because of the variety of antibodies commercially available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: floor_huisman@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Floor
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huisman
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Krijn P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: van Lienden
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Damude
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lisette T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: van Gulik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D008026:Ligation; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D023421:Models, Animal; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013552:Swine
keywords: Animal model; Liver regeneration; Liver surgery; Portal vein embolization