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Updated: Jul 29, 2025

Cell Type-specific Gene Expression Profiling in the Mouse Liver
Published on: September 17, 2019
HNF4α in Hepatocyte Health and Disease
Manasi Kotulkar1, Dakota R Robarts1, Udayan Apte1
1Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
Abstract:
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 α (HNF4α) is a highly conserved member of the nuclear receptor superfamily expressed at high levels in the liver, kidney, pancreas, and gut. In the liver, HNF4α is exclusively expressed in hepatocytes, where it is indispensable for embryonic and postnatal liver development and for normal liver function in adults. It is considered a master regulator of hepatic differentiation because it regulates a significant number of genes involved in hepatocyte-specific functions. Loss of HNF4α expression and function is associated with the progression of chronic liver disease. Further, HNF4α is a target of chemical-induced liver injury. In this review, we discuss the role of HNF4α in liver pathophysiology and highlight its potential use as a therapeutic target for liver diseases.
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