Liver regeneration

Liver regeneration is not a molecule or receptor but a complex biological process by which the liver restores lost tissue after injury or partial surgical removal[1][2][3][5]. This phenomenon relies on a finely coordinated activation of signaling pathways, growth factors (such as hepatocyte growth factor, epidermal growth factor, interleukins, TNF-α), and cellular responses involving all liver cell types, especially hepatocytes[2][3][4][5]. The crucial steps include initiation (priming/quiescence exit), proliferation, and termination phases, orchestrated by molecular signals including EGFR, c-Met, Wnt/β-catenin, and TGF-β pathways[1][3][6][7]. Failure of hepatocyte proliferation can trigger other cells to act as facultative stem cells, enabling further repair but also exposing the organ to risks such as fibrosis or cancer in chronic settings[4][5]. Liver regeneration is a biological process, not a druggable molecular entity, protein target, or receptor. It encompasses multiple signals, pathways, and cell types and should not be treated as a canonical molecule/target for drug development[1][2][5].