Damaged liver cells undergo reprogramming to regenerate

In Greek mythology, Zeus punishes the trickster Prometheus by chaining him to a rock and sending an eagle to eat a portion of his liver every day, in perpetuity. It was the right organ to target – the liver has the ability to regenerate itself, though not overnight nor for eternity.
New research conducted by biochemists at the University of Illinois has determined how damaged liver cells repair and restore themselves through a signal to return to an early stage of postnatal organ development. The findings are reported in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. "The liver is a resilient organ," said U. of I. biochemistry professor Auinash Kalsotra, who led the new research. "It can restore up to 70 percent of lost mass and function after just a few weeks.