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Review
. 2020 Nov 9;21(21):8414.
doi: 10.3390/ijms21218414.

Liver Regeneration after Hepatectomy and Partial Liver Transplantation

Shintaro Yagi  1 , Masaaki Hirata  1 , Yosuke Miyachi  1 , Shinji Uemoto  1
Affiliations
Review

Liver Regeneration after Hepatectomy and Partial Liver Transplantation

Shintaro Yagi et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The liver is a unique organ with an abundant regenerative capacity. Therefore, partial hepatectomy (PHx) or partial liver transplantation (PLTx) can be safely performed. Liver regeneration involves a complex network of numerous hepatotropic factors, cytokines, pathways, and transcriptional factors. Compared with liver regeneration after a viral- or drug-induced liver injury, that of post-PHx or -PLTx has several distinct features, such as hemodynamic changes in portal venous flow or pressure, tissue ischemia/hypoxia, and hemostasis/platelet activation. Although some of these changes also occur during liver regeneration after a viral- or drug-induced liver injury, they are more abrupt and drastic following PHx or PLTx, and can thus be the main trigger and driving force of liver regeneration. In this review, we first provide an overview of the molecular biology of liver regeneration post-PHx and -PLTx. Subsequently, we summarize some clinical conditions that negatively, or sometimes positively, interfere with liver regeneration after PHx or PLTx, such as marginal livers including aged or fatty liver and the influence of immunosuppression.

Keywords: hepatectomy; liver regeneration; liver transplantation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Factors associated with liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx) and partial liver transplantation (PLTx).Various factors are associated with liver regeneration after PHx and PLTx; moreover, the mode of regeneration is influenced by the amount of liver resection [4]. EGF, epidermal growth factor; HGF, hepatocyte growth factor; HIF-1α, hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha; HSCs, hepatic stellate cells; IGF, insulin-like growth factor; IL, interleukin; LSECs, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells; LPCs, liver progenitor cells; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; NO, nitric oxide; PVP, portal vein pressure; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Molecular pathways associated with liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx) and partial liver transplantation (PLTx). EGF, epidermal growth factor; GPCR, G-protein-coupled receptor; HGF, hepatocyte growth factor; IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; mTORC1, mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1; RTK, receptor tyrosine kinase; TGF, transforming growth factor; TLR Toll-like receptor; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.
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