How Do Lampreys Avoid Cholestasis After Bile Duct Degeneration?

Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common cause of cholestasis during infancy for which an etiology remains undetermined. Patients require hepatic portoenterostomy within the first 2-3 months of life in order to restore bile flow from the liver into the intestinal tract. Even with successful surgery, in most patients the disease advances to end-stage cirrhosis due to the progressive destruction of bile ducts, and requires liver transplantation in order for long term survival to be viable (Mack & Sokol, 2005). Without a better understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of the progressive cholangitic mechanisms in BA, improvement in the prognosis of non-transplantation patients should not be expected. Despite the importance of understanding these underlying mechanisms, research of BA has been hindered by the lack of a suitable animal model.