| Physiologic and pathologic experimental models for studying cholangiocytes |
| Seung Ok Lee |
| Division of Gatroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Hospital and Medical School, Jeonju, Korea |
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| ABSTRACT |
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Cholangiocytes (epithelial cells lining the intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts) and hepatocytes are two major
components of liver epithelia. Although cholangiocytes are less numerous than hepatocytes, they are involved
in both bile secretion and diverse cellular processes such as cell-cycle phenomena, cell signaling, and
interactions with other cells, matrix components, foreign organisms, and xenobiotics. Cholangiocytes are also
targets in several human diseases including cholangiocarcinoma, primary sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune
cholangitis, and vanishing bile-duct syndrome. The rapid advances in experimental biology technologies are
greatly expanding interest in and knowledge of the physiology and pathophysiology of cholangiocytes. This
review focuses on the progress of in vivo and in vitro experimental models in elucidating the physiologic
functions of cholangiocytes and the pathophysiology of various cholangiopathies. The following aspects are
reviewed: isolation of cholangiocytes from the liver and their heterogeneity, various culture systems,
establishment of cholangiocyte cell lines, isolation and usage of intrahepatic bile-duct units, three-dimensional
modeling of the bile duct, experimental models for inducing cholangiocyte proliferation, and various cholangiopathies
such as cholangiocarcinoma, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and autoimmune cholangitis. (Korean
J Hepatol 2008;14:139-149) |
| KeyWords:
Cholangiocyte; Experimental models |
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