Wnt signaling in biliary development, proliferation, and fibrosis.
- Resource Type
- Academic Journal
- Authors
- Tian L; Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.; Wang Y; Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.; Jang YY; Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.; Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Source
- Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 100973463 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1535-3699 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 15353699 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Exp Biol Med (Maywood) Subsets: MEDLINE
- Subject
- Language
- English
Biliary fibrosis is an important pathological indicator of hepatobiliary damage. Cholangiocyte is the key cell type involved in this process. To reveal the pathogenesis of biliary fibrosis, it is essential to understand the normal development as well as the aberrant generation and proliferation of cholangiocytes. Numerous reports suggest that the Wnt signaling pathway is implicated in the physiological and pathological processes of cholangiocyte development and ductular reaction. In this review, we summarize the effects of Wnt pathway in cholangiocyte development from embryonic stem cells, as well as the underlying mechanisms of cholangiocyte responses to adult ductal damage. Wnt signaling pathway is regulated in a step-wise manner during each of the liver differentiation stages from embryonic stem cells to functional mature cholangiocytes. With the modulation of Wnt pathway, cholangiocytes can also be generated from adult liver progenitor cells and mature hepatocytes to repair liver damage. Non-canonical Wnt signaling is triggered in the active ductal cells during biliary fibrosis. Targeted control of the Wnt signaling may hold the great potential to reduce and/or reverse the biliary fibrogenic process.