Mouse models of metabolic liver injury.

ABSTRACT

Metabolic liver injury is one of the fastest growing health problems worldwide. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty livers have been shown to be associated with progression to end-stage liver diseases, as well as to liver cancers, in humans. More importantly, there are no validated therapies for these disorders, therefore intensive research is required in this area. This review of standard operation procedures focuses on the experimental models of fatty liver disease in the mouse. Firstly, use of these experimental models might improve understanding of underlying mechanisms, and secondly this might help to test potential therapeutic options. This article includes, besides a short historic background, an insight into the pathobiochemical mechanisms and detailed experimental procedures as well as the practical implementation of these models.