Lanthier Nicolas, Rubbia-Brandt Laura, Spahr Laurent
Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Specialities Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Acta Gastroenterol Belg. 2013 Mar;76(1):3-9.
Liver progenitor cells, thought to reside in the terminal bile ductules (canals of Hering) at the interface between portal tracts and liver lobule, proliferate during severe hepatic injury. They may contribute to hepatocyte regeneration, or even take over this role if the liver injury is severe and associated with an impairment of hepatocyte proliferation. They represent promising targets in an attempt to stimulate liver regeneration in chronic diseases. Recent studies on liver progenitor cell recruitment in response to injury in chronic viral hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases are presented in this review, as well as clinical trials in which stem cells are administered as a therapeutic intervention to promote liver regeneration. Liver progenitor cell expansion is part of the disease process itself and may contribute to disease severity, mainly related to fibrosis. As the majority of these progenitor cells tend to acquire a biliary phenotype, their role in liver repair and improvement in liver function remains to be addressed. Present data on stem cell therapy are heterogeneous in terms of methods and endpoints; thus, results need to be carefully examined prior to drawing a conclusion on possible benefits.
肝祖细胞被认为存在于汇管区和肝小叶交界处的终末胆小管（赫林管）中，在严重肝损伤时会增殖。它们可能有助于肝细胞再生，或者在肝损伤严重且伴有肝细胞增殖受损时甚至接管这一作用。它们是刺激慢性疾病中肝脏再生的有希望的靶点。本文综述了近期关于慢性乙型病毒性肝炎、丙型病毒性肝炎、酒精性和非酒精性肝病中肝祖细胞对损伤反应的招募研究，以及将干细胞作为促进肝脏再生的治疗干预措施的临床试验。肝祖细胞的扩增是疾病过程本身的一部分，可能导致疾病严重程度增加，主要与纤维化有关。由于这些祖细胞中的大多数倾向于获得胆管表型，它们在肝脏修复和肝功能改善中的作用仍有待探讨。目前关于干细胞治疗的数据在方法和终点方面存在异质性；因此，在就可能的益处得出结论之前，需要仔细审查结果。
