Summary
Cirrhosis is a serious liver disorder that involves scar tissue formation along with collagen deposition and ultimately leading to liver dysfunction. There is an imperative need for novel pharmaceuticals that are devoid of hepatotoxicity. Human stellate cells, adult stem cells, and non-parenchymal cells were used in the development of co-cultures, and 3D spheroids for the study of hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatic carcinomas. Ex-vivo tissue culture techniques also aid in different stage evaluation of cirrhosis either diet-influential or drug-induced liver damage. A distinct advantage of experimental animal models over in vitro cell culture systems is that they allow researchers to study cell biology through the observation of whole organs and living organisms.
INTRODUCTION
Cirrhosis is a serious health condition, where along with scar tissue formation there is deposition of collagen in the liver, finally leading to liver failure. (1, 2). There is alteration of the structural design of normal liver cells to structurally abnormal dense bands of fibrosis which are characterized by the presence of excess collagen resulting in the formation of abnormal nodules in hepatocytes (3). Widespread fibrous connective tissues, reformative nodules, changed lobular structure and the creation of intra-hepatic vasculature divert in the liver’s afferent and efferent arteries are the prominent morphological changes observed (4). The pathological changes in hepatocytes can be the consequence of physical liver injury, viral infestations, medicine induced, hereditary or due to progression of autoimmune diseases. Although, the liver could restore the damaged cells via facultative stem cells i.e. biliary epithelial cells and hepatocytes, however, chronic damage might lead to fibrosis and dysfunctioning (5). Viral infections (hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus), excessive alcohol consumption, and non-alcoholic fatty liver syndrome are the concurring factors of cirrhosis (6). According to World Health Organization (WHO) Global Disease Burden Database, 199.5 deaths per million population were reported in 2016 due to this disorder (7).