Regulation of hepatocyte identity and quiescence

The liver is a highly differentiated organ with a central role in metabolism, detoxification and systemic homeostasis. To perform its multiple tasks, liver parenchymal cells, the hepatocytes, express a large complement of enabling genes defining their complex phenotype. This phenotype is progressive...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 2015-10, Vol.72 (20), p.3831-3851
Main Authors: Berasain, Carmen, Avila, Matías A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adulthood
Animals
Biochemistry
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Carcinogenesis - pathology
Cell Biology
Cell Differentiation
Cell growth
Cell Proliferation
complement
fetal development
gene expression
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
genes
Genotype & phenotype
hepatocytes
Hepatocytes - cytology
Hepatocytes - pathology
hepatoma
Homeostasis
Humans
Life Sciences
Liver
Liver - cytology
Liver - pathology
Liver - physiology
Liver cancer
Liver cirrhosis
Liver Diseases - pathology
Liver Neoplasms - pathology
metabolism
Models, Biological
phenotype
Review
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Summary:The liver is a highly differentiated organ with a central role in metabolism, detoxification and systemic homeostasis. To perform its multiple tasks, liver parenchymal cells, the hepatocytes, express a large complement of enabling genes defining their complex phenotype. This phenotype is progressively acquired during fetal development and needs to be maintained in adulthood to guarantee the individual’s survival. Upon injury or loss of functional mass, the liver displays an extraordinary regenerative response, mainly based on the proliferation of hepatocytes which otherwise are long-lived quiescent cells. Increasing observations suggest that loss of hepatocellular differentiation and quiescence underlie liver malfunction in chronic liver disease and pave the way for hepatocellular carcinoma development. Here, we briefly review the essential mechanisms leading to the acquisition of liver maturity. We also identify the key molecular factors involved in the preservation of hepatocellular homeostasis and finally discuss potential strategies to preserve liver identity and function.
ISSN:1420-682X
1420-9071
DOI:10.1007/s00018-015-1970-7