Experimental Liver Surgery for Liver Research: Update, Choice and Translation

Ji-Hua Shi,1 Pål-Dag Line,2 Shui-Jun Zhang,1 Wen-Zhi Guo1 1Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet and Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayCorrespondence: Ji-Hua Shi, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected] Wen-Zhi Guo, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Experimental animal models of liver surgery are crucial for understanding human liver physiology and pathogenesis and identifying novel therapeutic modalities for liver disease. Herein, we update the brief summary of the most widely used experimental models and concepts in hepatic surgery, including hepatic ischemia/reperfusion, partial hepatectomy, liver transplantation, techniques and parameters of vascular perfusion of the liver, and using bile duct ligation as a model of cholestasis for the development of liver fibrosis. We focus on surgical aspects of available models for the study of various forms of liver disease. Furthermore, we summarize the translation of experimental liver surgery by highlighting surgical innovations, exploring key molecular mechanisms, and employing emerging treatment strategies. Keywords: experimental liver surgery, hepatic ischemia/reperfusion, hepatectomy, liver transplantation, extracorporeal vascular perfusion, hepatic fibrosis