ISSN:
1432-2307
Keywords:
Human liver development
;
TGF-α
;
Intrahepatic bile ducts
;
Hepatocytes
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract We investigated the expression of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α) and its receptor during human liver development and maturation, using immunohistochemistry. In the fetal liver, strong immunoreactivity for TGF-α and its receptor was noted in intrahepatic bile duct cells of various developmental stages; moderate immunoreactivity for TGF-α and mild immunoreactivity for TGF-α receptor were found in immature hepatocytes. In the postnatal liver, reactivity for TGF-α in hepatocytes decreased gradually and was negative or only weakly positive in the adult liver, while reactivity for TGF-α receptor in hepatocytes increased gradually and was strongly positive in the adult liver. In contrast, immunoreactivity of TGF-α and its receptor in intrahepatic bile duct cells persisted in the postnatal liver and was positive in the adult liver. These data suggest that the system of TGF-α and its receptor has an important role in the proliferation and differentiation of intrahepatic biliary cells and hepatocytes in the fetal liver. The decreasing expression of TGF-α in hepatocytes in the postnatal liver may indicate that proliferative activity of hepatocytes gradually decreases with liver maturation. The presence of TGF-α and its receptor in intrahepatic bile ducts in the postnatal liver suggests that the system of TGF-α and TGF-α receptor is operative postnatally.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00195783
