Creative Bios

  Biliary atresia   (BA)   is  a congenital condition  that  a blockage   happ ens  in the tubes  responsible for  carry ing  bile from the liver to the gallbladder. It results from abnormal development of the bile ducts inside or outside the liver  and results in progressive fibrous obliteration with different degrees of inflammation in the hepatobiliary system. According to incomplete statistics, about 1 out of 10,000–20,000 live births would be identified with b iliary atresia , but actually, the situation could be worse given the late diagnoses. Up to now, the causes for this condition remain unclear and seem to be heterogeneous, but it undoubtedly would lead to an inestimable mental and financial burden for patients and their families, as well as the healthcare system.   To better understand and identify the etiology of b iliary atresia , researchers are dedicated to finding the best animal model organism  to ver...

  Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), as its name indicated, is a condition caused by abnormal or excessive fat  buildup in   liver , which is not a result of heavy alcohol use. It has become a common chronic liver disease and is affecting up to 25% of people worldwide. Most people have no symptoms, and 2% to 5% of people will experience complications from the fat in their liver and a more serious condition named non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) due to liver inflammation and cell damage, which ultimately could develop into liver cirrhosis. Thus, early detection is important before some  irreversible results in the liver disease progression pose clinical and economic burdens.   Evidence shows that changes in immune cells in the liver are related to the development of NAFLD. And the presence of chronic low-grade inflammation characterized by immune cell activation, abnormal cytokine production, and increased acute phase proteins is a hallmark of NAFLD. ...