Balloon liver cells forming Mallory–Denk-bodies are progenitor cells

• Balloon cells making MDBs express many genes expressed in progenitor cells.
• CD49f up regulated in embryonic stem cells is expressed by balloon cells forming MDBs.
• TLR4 is expressed by TISC cells expressed in balloon cells forming MDBs.

Previous studies on both human and mice livers showed MDB formation in both drug hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Using the drug hepatitis mouse model of MDB formation, numerous markers for progenitor cells were found in the cells forming MDBs. In current study, using the drug hepatitis mouse model, we found that the MDB forming cells expressed two additional progenitor cell markers. These markers were CD49f and TLR4.