title: Experimental models of hepatitis B and C - new insights and progress.
abstract: Viral hepatitis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Hepatitis-causing viruses initiate disease by establishing both acute and chronic infections, and several of these viruses are specifically associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Consequently, intense research efforts have been focusing on increasing our understanding of hepatitis virus biology and on improving antiviral therapy and vaccination strategies. Although valuable information on viral hepatitis emerged from careful epidemiological studies on sporadic outbreaks in humans, experimental models using cell culture, rodent and non-human primates were essential in advancing the field. Through the use of these experimental models, improvement in both the treatment and prevention of viral hepatitis has progressed rapidly; however, agents of viral hepatitis are still among the most common pathogens infecting humans. In this Review, we describe the important part that these experimental models have played in the study of viral hepatitis and led to monumental advances in our understanding and treatment of these pathogens. Ongoing developments in experimental models are also described.
authors.affiliation: Schiff Center for Liver Diseases and Sylvester Cancer Center, Room PAP514, Papanicolaou Building, 1550 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136, USA.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Liver Diseases Branch, NIH, Building 10-9B16, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1800, USA.
authors.forename: T Jake
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000821:virology; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005544:Forecasting; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000502:physiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000821:virology; D011323:Primates; D012093:Replicon / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral