AUTHOR=Weng Hong-Lei , Cai Xiaobo , Yuan Xiaodong , Liebe Roman , Dooley Steven , Li Hai , Wang Tai-Ling 

TITLE=Two sides of one coin: massive hepatic necrosis and progenitor cell-mediated regeneration in acute liver failure

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2015.00178

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2015.00178

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>Massive hepatic necrosis is a key event underlying acute liver failure, a serious clinical syndrome with high mortality. Massive hepatic necrosis in acute liver failure has unique pathophysiological characteristics including extremely rapid parenchymal cell death and removal. On the other hand, massive necrosis rapidly induces the activation of liver progenitor cells, the so-called “second pathway of liver regeneration.” The final clinical outcome of acute liver failure depends on whether liver progenitor cell-mediated regeneration can efficiently restore parenchymal mass and function within a short time. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding massive hepatic necrosis and liver progenitor cell-mediated regeneration in patients with acute liver failure, the two sides of one coin.</p>