Dynamic Cell Contacts between Periportal Mesenchyme and Ductal Epithelium Act as a Rheostat for Liver Cell Proliferation

In the liver, ductal cells rarely proliferate during homeostasis but do so transiently after tissue injury. Using organoid co-cultures that recapitulated the ductal-to-mesenchymal cell architecture of the portal tract, researchers demonstrated that a subpopulation of mouse periportal mesenchymal cells exerted dual control on proliferation of the epithelium.