Liver has a remarkable regenerative capacity following injuries. However, the cellular dynamics of how hepatocytes are replenished during homeostasis and upon liver injuries remains largely unclear.
By using genetic lineage tracing strategies on rare Lgr5+ hepatocytes surrounding the central veins of the liver lobule, this study shows that Lgr5+ hepatocytes are self-maintained during normal homeostasis and various liver injuries, and contributed to hepatocarcinogesis in two different hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) models. The findings provide a novel insight on hepatocyte regeneration under homeostasis and liver injuries, and uncover Lgr5+ hepatocytes as potential cellular origin in HCC development.
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aCancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. bDepartment of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore. cDepartment of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore. dStem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Australia. eDepartment of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Australia. fOffice of Clinical Sciences, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. gDivision of Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Center, Singapore and hDepartment of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary and Transplant Surgery, Singapore General Hospital.
