Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatobiliary Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

The formation and transport of bile is critical to liver function, and their pathological dysregulation underlies several hepatobiliary diseases, including cholestasis, primary biliary cholangitis, and drug-induced liver injury. Despite significant progress, the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for bile acid homeostasis, hepatobiliary transport, and cholangiocyte function are still not fully understood.

Additionally, the convergence of computational and mechanistic modeling and artificial intelligence is offering new insights into disease pathophysiology, biomarker discovery, and therapeutic targets. Approaches such as machine and deep learning complement mechanistic models with multi-omics and regulatory network integration provide a predictive framework for disease progression analysis and the prediction of possible interventions. At the same time, experimental methods such as transcriptomics, proteomics, single-cell analyses, and in vitro organoid models remain essential in validating computational predictions and uncovering novel molecular pathways.

This Special Issue of Cells will present novel experimental and modeling approaches to cellular and molecular mechanisms in hepatobiliary disease and help unravel the complex pathological multi-scale mechanisms leading to these diseases. Original papers are invited, exploring for example, the dynamics of hepatic and cholangiocytic transporters, bile acid metabolism, liver fibrosis in cholestatic diseases, and AI-based diagnostic or therapeutic strategies. By incorporating different methods, this Special Issue will promote a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and translational approach to the study of the mechanisms of hepatobiliary diseases.

Dr. Stefan Hoehme
Prof. Dr. Jan G. Hengstler
Guest Editors

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