Role of sex hormones in the modulation of cholangiocyte function

Over the last years,cholangiocytes,the cells that line the biliary tree,have been considered an important object of study for their biological properties which involves bile formation,proliferation,injury repair,fibrosis and angiogenesis.Cholangiocyte proliferation occurs in all pathologic conditions of liver injury where it is associated with inflammation and regeneration.During these processes,biliary cells start to secrete different cytokines,growth factors,neuropeptides and hormones which represent potential mechanisms for cross talk with other liver cells.Several studies suggest that hormones,and in particular,sex hormones,play a fundamental role in the modulation of the growth of this compartment in the injured liver which functionally conditions the progression of liver disease.Understanding the mechanisms of action and the intracellular pathways of these compounds on cholangiocyte pathophysiology will provide new potential strategies for the management of chronic liver diseases.The purpose of this review is to summarize the recent findings on the role of sex hormones in cholangiocyte proliferation and biology.

Cholangiocytes and blood supply

胆汁的树的微脉管的供应，仙子胆管丛(PBP ) ，源自肝的动脉树枝和流动进肝窦状隙。PBP 的详细三维的研究被使用扫描电子执行了显微镜学脉管的腐蚀演员组(SEMvcc ) 技术。认为 PBP 在支持胆汁的上皮的能分泌、吸收性的功能起一个基本作用，他们在常态和病理的组织被探索。正常的肝证明 PBP 安排在 extra-附近 -- 并且肝内的胆汁的树。在小门道， PBP 被日益增多地继续了它显示出一个更复杂的脉管的网络的额外的肝的 PBP 的 capillaries 的单个层描绘。在普通的管结扎(BDL ) 以后，胆汁管和 PBP 增长的进步修正被观察。PBP 介绍在许多胆汁管附近安排的一个三维的网络并且作为容器的捆出现，由有典型圆网孔结构的同类的直径的 capillaries 镇静。PBP 网络从显得正常的正弦曲线网络是容易可区分的。在 BDL 期间考虑 PBP 的庞大的延期，脉管的内皮生长因素(VEGF ) 起的可能的作用被评估。VEGF -- A， VEGF-C 和他们的相关受体高度出现了在 BDL 老鼠的增殖的 cholangiocytes 积极的免疫。到象肝的动脉结扎一样的 BDL 老鼠的 anti-VEGF-A 或 anti-VEGF-C 抗体的管理导致了一个减少的胆汁管团。rVEGF 的管理 -- 到 BDL 肝的动脉的 A 绑扎老鼠阻止了 cholangiocyte 增长和 VEGF 的减少 -- 表情作为与 BDL 控制老鼠相比。这些数据处于 cholangiocyte 增长的条件建议胆汁的树的动脉的血供给的角色，例如它发生在长期的胆汁郁积期间。在另一方面， VEGF 作为在 cholangiocytes 和 PBP endothelial 之间的串音的一个工具起的作用建议 VEGF 版本和功能的那操作能为肝的动脉或胆汁的树的损坏描绘的人的病理学的条件代表治疗学的策略。