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Science 14 April 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5771, p. 155
DOI: 10.1126/science.312.5771.155g
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Numerous secreted factors, including growth factors and cytokines, have been implicated in regulating hepatocyte proliferation. W. Huang et al. (p. 233; see the news story by Vogel) report that bile acids are essential stimulatory factors for liver regeneration in mice. An increase in bile acids stimulates regeneration and requires the nuclear bile acid receptor FXR. The authors propose a homeostatic mechanism for determination of liver size, in which FXR and perhaps other nuclear receptors sense the levels of endogenous metabolites to determine the liver's functional capacity. When liver function is decreased as a result of injury, the resulting accumulation of bile acids activates FXR, which stimulates signaling pathways to protect the liver from bile acid toxicity and also promotes liver growth to handle the overload.




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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)