J.L. Boyer – författare

Knowledge about the cell biology of the cholangiocytes and the function of the bile ducts has increased considerably. Their role in liver diseases is increasingly recognized. As a consequence, important progress has been made not only in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology but also in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary liver diseases. This book, the proceedings of the Falk Symposium 107 on "Diseases of the Liver and the Bile Ducts, New Aspects and Clinical Implications", held in Prague, Czech Republic, on 30 April - 2 May, 1998, brings together scientists and clinicians to highlight advances in molecular biology, physiology, diagnosis and therapy of diseases of the biliary system. World experts cover a broad spectrum of topics from genetic tests to endoscopy and from medical treatment to liver transplantation.

Liver cirrhosis is a major clinical problem worldwide and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality from its complications, such as liver cell insufficiency with coagulopathy and hepatic encephalopathy, portal hypertension with ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatorenal syndrome, HCC development and otehrs. This volume, the proceedings of Falk Symposium 115 held in Basel, Switzerland, October 22-24, 1999 (Part II of the Basel Liver Week 1999; XI International Congress of Liver Diseases) covers our present knowledge of the aetiologies and early stages of liver cirrhosis development. Based on this information, strategies are discussed that are aimed at the prevention, early diagnosis and therapy of chronic liver diseases, thus preventing their progression to cirrhosis and its complications, including HCC development. The main topics mentioned above are complemented by three state-of-the-art chapters on modern aspects of medicine in general and hepatology in particular as well as their perspectives beyond the year 2000: "Molecular Medicine", "New Hepatitis Viruses" and "Genetic Liver Diseases: Diagnosis and Therapy".Introductory chapters focusing on the more basic aspects of the biology of live cells as well as on the mechanisms underlying fibrogenesis, cholestasis and inflammation will be followed by a detailed discussion of the clinically most important causes of liver cirrhosis worldwide: hepatitis viruses B, C and D; toxins (alcohol, drugs and others) as well as metabolic liver diseases (haemochromatosis, Wilson disease, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, porphyria cutanea tarda and protoporhyria). This book, therefore, will interest clinically oriented basic scientists as well as those in clinical practice, givng an update on many aspects of modern hepatology and its perspectives in the 21st century.