Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hepatic progenitor cells in dogs and cats - can they help liver
By Kruitwagen, Hedwig S et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2014·Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Netherlands·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hepatic progenitor cells in canine and feline medicine: potential for regenerative strategies.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Researchers are looking for new ways to treat serious liver disease in pets, particularly dogs and cats. One promising area is the use of special liver stem cells, called hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs), which could help the liver heal and replace damaged tissue. This review looks at recent studies on HPCs in dogs and cats, comparing them to what has been found in lab animals and humans. The findings suggest that these stem cells could play an important role in helping pets recover from liver problems, and dogs may be the first pets to benefit from new treatments using HPCs. Overall, the research indicates that using HPCs could be a valuable approach for treating liver disease in pets.
Abstract
New curative therapies for severe liver disease are urgently needed in both the human and veterinary clinic. It is important to find new treatment modalities which aim to compensate for the loss of parenchymal tissue and to repopulate the liver with healthy hepatocytes. A prime focus in regenerative medicine of the liver is the use of adult liver stem cells, or hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs), for functional recovery of liver disease. This review describes recent developments in HPC research in dog and cat and compares these findings to experimental rodent studies and human pathology. Specifically, the role of HPCs in liver regeneration, key components of the HPC niche, and HPC activation in specific types of canine and feline liver disease will be reviewed. Finally, the potential applications of HPCs in regenerative medicine of the liver are discussed and a potential role is suggested for dogs as first target species for HPC-based trials.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24946932/