Gastroenterology
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Oval cells are postnatal hepatic progenitors with high proliferative potential and bipotent differentiation ability to become hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Because Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is a known regulatory pathway for liver development and regeneration, we studied the role of Wnt signaling in oval cells using a mouse model of chronic liver injury. ⋯ From these data, we conclude that oval cells respond to Wnt ligands (Wnt3a) in vitro with an increase in amino-terminus dephosphorylated beta-catenin and cell-cycle entry and that canonical Wnt/beta-catenin/TCF signaling is active in proliferating facultative hepatic progenitor cells in vivo. These findings may lend insight to the consequences of increased canonical Wnt signaling during periods of chronic liver injury.