Liver Research At AU-KBC

Liver is a vital organ, which has regenerative property. Liver functions include metabolism, digestion, storage, synthesis and release of vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. It also detoxifies and inactivates endogenous and exogenous substances including toxins and metals. Liver cirrhosis is one of the diseases of liver, which is caused by different reasons like alcohol excess, chronic viral hepatitis, drugs and chemicals etc. Cirrhosis is a condition of severe damage to the liver that impairs its ability to function normally. It causes formation of scar tissue. This scarring distorts the normal structure, functions and re-growth of liver cells. One key cells that facilitate this process is hepatic stellate cells. Hepatic stellate cells are liver specific pericyte that usually works as fat and vitamin A storing cells in normal liver. Under pre-cirrhotic condition stellate cells undergoes a trans-differentiated stage leading to liver cirrhosis. Our research focus is to study the endothelium-stellate cell cross talk in liver diseases.