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This week on Healthwatch, we've been talking about research breakthroughs. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have discovered a hormone that could play a big role in liver disease.
The liver produces bile acids, which work in the small intestine to help digest food. When their work is done, bile acids are absorbed into the bloodstream and returned to the liver. These acids are so powerful that if they're not controlled, they can do great damage. Several proteins help regulate the production of bile, and the UT Southwestern researchers found that one of these is actually a hormone.
Dr. Steven Kliewer, a UT Southwestern molecular biologist, says the scientists discovered this when they realized the protein could be injected elsewhere in the body and still have the same effect. This means it may be possible to help prevent liver damage through hormone injections to regulate the production of bile acids.
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October 2005
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