Speaker: Donghun Shin, associate professor in the School of Medicine, Department of Developmental Biology at the University of Pittsburgh

Title: Liver progenitor cell-mediated liver regeneration

Abstract: The liver is a highly regenerative organ, but its regenerative capacity is compromised in severe liver diseases. Hepatocyte-driven liver regeneration that involves the proliferation of pre-existing hepatocytes is a primary regeneration mode. On the other hand, liver progenitor cell (LPC)-driven liver regeneration involving dedifferentiation of biliary epithelial cells into LPCs is a secondary mode. This secondary mode plays a significant role in liver regeneration when the primary mode does not effectively work, as observed in severe liver injury settings. Thus, promoting LPC-driven liver regeneration may be clinically beneficial to patients with severe liver diseases. Using zebrafish liver injury models, we have investigated the molecular mechanisms of LPC-driven liver regeneration. I will present the crucial roles of Hdac1 and EGFR signaling in this regeneration process and discuss our future directions.

Host: Maura McGrail, GDCB associate professor

Please join us for refreshments before the seminar outside Room 1414 of the Molecular Biology Building.