Research progress in the role of autophagy in liver regeneration / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Autophagy is a pathway of intracellular degradation, in which autophagic vacuoles are formed to transport intracellular biomacromolecules and damaged organelles to lysosomes. Autophagy plays an important role in the maintenance of the dynamic balance of liver function. Abnormal liver cells can be eliminated by autophagy. This article reviews the close relationship of autophagy with the proliferation of liver cells, non-parenchymal liver cells, and hepatic stem cells. Analysis has shown that autophagy may restore the volume and function of the liver by promoting the proliferation of liver cells and hepatic stem cells, which can be stopped in time to prevent tumor development. Autophagy may promote the activation of non-parenchymal liver cells during liver dysfunction, which can inhibit the regeneration of liver cells, and, in the meantime, lead to the development and progression of liver fibrosis. When the tumor is being formed, autophagy plays an important role in the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells; malignant regeneration of liver cells is activated but not terminated in time.