The Sea Lamprey as an Etiological Model for Biliary Atresia

Figure 8

Protective effect of taurine during developmental biliary atresia in sea lamprey. Hepatocytes in the cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSAD) siRNA treated group showed pathological cellular morphology. Note that caspase 3 immunofluorescent staining is concentrated at canaliculi between the hepatocytes. Taurine treated hepatocytes showed better membrane integrity and more BCL2 immunofluorescence at the cytoplasm. Blue immunofluorescence staining: caspase 3 (apoptosis marker). Green immunofluorescence staining: BCL2 (apoptosis protection marker). Red immunofluorescence staining: CSAD (the rate limiting enzyme for taurine biosynthesis). Whole livers were processed with a modified CLARITY method [122]. Scale bar: 20 μm.

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