title: Immunohistochemical study for the origin of ductular reaction in chronic liver disease.
abstract: The appearance of proliferating bile ductular structures, which is called the "atypical ductular reaction" is frequently observed in various chronic liver diseases associated. However, the origin of these increased bile ductules has been a matter of controversy. In this study, we investigated the origin of ductular cells as an aspect of relation between epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and epithelial members of liver parenchyme, such as hepatocyte and cholangiocyte by immunohistochemical staining of human liver. Thirteen specimens of surgically resected liver with biliary cirrhosis were selected. Three sets of double immunohistochemical stains were done; Hep-Par 1 - cytokeratin 19 (CK19), Hep-Par 1 - α-sm ooth mus cle actin (α-SMA) and CK19 - α-SMA. As a result, we investigated the dual expression of the markers of hepatocyte and cholangiocyte in the same cell; in ductular cell and surrounding hepatocyte. However, there seems to be no dual expression of markers for EMT with epithelial markers. This study suggests a possibility of phenotypic change of mature hepatocyte into cholangiocyte. Future studies will be necessary to determine the role that proliferating cholangiocytes play in the pathogenesis of biliary fibrosis and how cholangiocytes interact with other cell types of the liver such as hepatic stellate cells or Kupffer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Bok
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Woo-Ram
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwan-Kyu
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Liver; bile duct cell; ductular reaction; hepatocyte; immunohistochemistry; transdifferentiation