Cells Responsible for Liver Regeneration
Scientists at the Children’s Research Institute (University of Texas Southwest Medical Center) divided the liver into three zones to locate the cells responsible for organ regeneration. They found “midlobular zone 2 hepatocytes marked by the hepcidin antimicrobial peptide 2 (Hamp2) gene were in large part responsible for homeostatic repopulation. Zone 2 cells were also sheltered from toxic injuries affecting either end of the lobule and thus were well positioned to contribute to regeneration after these insults. To define the mechanistic basis of these lineage-tracing results, single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing transcriptomics were used to define genes that were specifically up- or down-regulated in zone 2. We then used in vivo CRISPR knockout and activation screening to identify functionally important pathways that regulate zone 2 proliferation. These methods revealed that zone 2 repopulation is driven by the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2–mechanistic target of rapamycin–cyclin D1 (IGFBP2-mTOR-CCND1) axis.” MORE
Image Credit: Children’s Research Institute (University of Texas Southwest Medical Center)