Consequently, there is a need for antiviral compounds such as TDF, which is a well-tolerated, potent therapy with a high threshold for resistance development. The addition of FTC occurred in only 5% of patients and did not appear to affect the subsequent rate of HBV DNA decline because comparable PF-562271 supplier declines occurred in eligible patients who opted to remain on TDF monotherapy. Our analysis demonstrated no detectable TDF resistance among 641 HBeAg+ and HBeAg− patients with CHB infection who received TDF for up to 144 weeks. “
“Although there have been numerous reports describing the isolation of liver progenitor cells from the adult liver, their exact origin

has not been clearly defined; and the role played by mature

hepatocytes as direct contributors to the hepatic progenitor cell pool has remained largely unknown. Here, we report strong evidence that mature hepatocytes in culture have the capacity to dedifferentiate into a population of adult liver progenitors without genetic or epigenetic manipulations. By using highly purified mature hepatocytes, which were obtained from untreated, healthy rat liver and labeled with fluorescent dye PKH2, we found that hepatocytes in culture gave rise to a population of PKH2-positive liver progenitor cells. These cells, liver-derived progenitor cells, which share phenotypic similarities with oval cells, were previously reported to be capable of forming mature hepatocytes, both in culture and in animals. click here Studies done at various time points during the course of dedifferentiation cultures revealed that hepatocytes rapidly transformed CHIR-99021 mouse into liver progenitors within 1 week through a transient oval cell-like stage. This finding was supported by lineage-tracing studies involving double-transgenic AlbuminCreXRosa26 mice expressing β-galactosidase exclusively in hepatocytes. Cultures set up with hepatocytes obtained from these mice resulted in the generation of β-galactosidase-positive liver progenitor cells, demonstrating that they were a direct

dedifferentiation product of mature hepatocytes. Additionally, these progenitors differentiated into hepatocytes in vivo when transplanted into rats that had undergone retrorsine pretreatment and partial hepatectomy. Conclusion: Our studies provide strong evidence for the unexpected plasticity of mature hepatocytes to dedifferentiate into progenitor cells in culture, and this may potentially have a significant effect on the treatment of liver diseases requiring liver or hepatocyte transplantation. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;) The liver is a unique organ with an enormous capacity to regenerate after injury. Up to 75% of liver mass can be regenerated in the rat within 1 week after partial hepatectomy.1 Under normal conditions and in the absence of toxic injury, hepatocytes are predominantly responsible for this process.