Research Article

Transplantation of Human Amniotic Membrane over the Liver Surface Reduces Hepatic Fibrosis in a Cholestatic Model in Young Rats

Figure 4

mRNA expression levels of profibrogenic genes in arbitrary units as “fold change.” (a) mRNA expression levels of Tgfb1. In the BDL group, Tgfb1 exponentially increased along the experiment. Marked differences were noted on the 6th postoperative week between the BDL group and the BDL + AM group. (b) mRNA expression levels of Apln. In the BDL group, Apln increased in a linear way over time. Marked differences were also noticed on the 6th postoperative week between the BDL group and the BDL + AM group. Additionally, a reduction in expression levels of Apln was noticed in the BDL + AM group among the 4th and 6th postoperative weeks. SS: sham surgery; BDL: bile duct ligature; BDL + AM: bile duct ligature plus amniotic membrane; PO: postoperative. BDL versus BDL + AM; BDL versus BDL + AM.
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