Liver regeneration: Prometheus’ myth revisited

Abstract

After realising the liver’s ability to regenerate propitiated new therapeutic perspectives for the hepatic surgery. Major liver resections and liver transplantations are now routinely used to treat liver tumors and acute or chronic liver failure. Focusing the liver transplantation, liver regeneration allowed the reduced liver graft and the split liver techniques. Living-related liver transplantation of the left lateral segment (segments II and III) allowed to overcome the obstacle posed by the liver graft size x the recipient size in pediatric liver transplantations. Living-related liver transplantation may be considered an independent modality added to the cadaver donation. The basis for the very complex mechanism of the liver regeneration still remains poorly understood by professionals practicing modern hepatic surgeries. This article supplies a resumed description of the liver regeneration mechanisms, the hepatocytes cell’s cycle, growth factors, and the role played by the bone marrow stem cells.