![Seeking the Molecular Basis of Liver Disease]()
Among its many functions, the liver produces proteins, lipids, clotting factor and glycogen, filters blood from the digestive tract before it reaches the rest of the body, and secretes digestion-aiding bile ducts into the intestines via bile ducts. The trafficking of molecules into and out of the liver is controlled by two distinct types of liver epithelial cells: hepatocytes and bile duct cells, both of which have polarized membranes that ensure the directional flow of molecules. Anne Muesch, Ph.D., has been awarded a three-year, $1.7 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to determine how hepatocytes and bile-duct cells organize their polarized membranes to carry out their specific yet different functions. The findings may help reveal the molecular basis of common liver diseases. Dr. Muesch is professor of developmental and molecular biology at Einstein. (1R01DK118015-01A1)
Posted on: Thursday, July 18, 2019