Figure 10. Bile duct formation.

Figure 10Bile duct formation.

The schematics show the steps of intrahepatic bile duct formation. Starting at e13 hepatoblasts in contact with the portal vein mesenchyme begin to adopt a biliary epithelium fate and form cuboidal epithelail layer. This layer duplicates and from e17 to the perinatal period, a process known as ductal plate remodeling results in focal dilations in the bi-layer which become surrounded by portal mesenchyme to form bile ducts, while the remaining bi-layer cells regress. Hepatoblasts in the parenchyma differentiate into hepatocytes.

From: Liver development

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Cambridge (MA): Harvard Stem Cell Institute; 2008-.
Copyright: © 2008 Aaron M. Zorn.

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