Fig. 2

The expressions of CK7 and E-cadherin in HPCs. a, f Cholangiocytes in normal liver exhibited positivity for CK7 and E-cadherin rather than EpCAM (original magnification × 200). b, g HPCs within DRs of mild hepatitis co-expressed CK7 and EpCAM. The down-regulated expression of E-cadherin was detected in DRs of cirrhosis (original magnification × 200). c, h The number of CK7- or E-cadherin-positivity HPCs decreased significantly in moderate hepatitis (original magnification × 200). d, i In sections of severe hepatitis, the number of CK7- or E-cadherin-positivity HPCs increased (original magnification × 200). e, j Majority of HPCs within DRs of cirrhosis re-expressed CK7 or E-cadherin (original magnification × 200). k, p Cholangiocytes and hepatocytes in the normal liver did not express Twist and Snail (original magnification × 200). l-o Twist-positive HPCs numbers increased in direct proportion to disease severity (original magnification × 200). q-t Hepatitis and cirrhosis resulted in the elevated level of Snail (original magnification × 200)