Advance in research on liver cell injury and its initiation in developing new drugs for treating liver diseases / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Liver cell death,including apoptosis and necrosis, is triggered by a number of insults. The apoptotic cascade involving the participation of proteolytic caspases is an important pathway of cell death. Mitochondria play a key role in liver cell death. TNF as an important mediator plays an crucial action in liver cell death. Reactive oxygen metabolites may act directly or through immunological mechanism as initiating factors and modulators in liver cell necrosis and apoptosis. Some intrinsic factors may act on the cascade of liver cell death. The extensive knowledge gained in recent years about the mechanisms of hepatocyte death will lead to new and exciting advances in the prevention and treatment of liver diseases.