Lower plasminogen levels spur stronger liver repair after surgery in mice, study finds

Article excerpt

The liver is one of the few organs capable of regenerating after surgery, a remarkable ability that makes lifesaving procedures possible for thousands of patients each year. But not every liver regenerates as expected. Some patients develop post-hepatectomy liver failure, a serious complication that remains a leading cause of death after liver surgery. Now, a discovery by a Michigan State University researcher is challenging a long-held belief about how the liver repairs itself after surgery.