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Review
. 2017 Sep 27;9(10):1072.
doi: 10.3390/nu9101072.

Animal Models of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-A Starter's Guide

Mikhaïl A Van Herck  1   2 , Luisa Vonghia  3   4 , Sven M Francque  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Animal Models of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-A Starter's Guide

Mikhaïl A Van Herck et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) constitutes a major health concern with the increasing incidence of obesity and diabetes in many Western countries, reaching a prevalence of up to 30% in the general population. Animal models have played a vital role in elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms of NAFLD and continue to do so. A myriad of different models exists, each with its advantages and disadvantages. This review presents a brief overview of these models with a particular focus on the basic mechanisms and physical, biochemical and histological phenotype. Both nutritional and chemically induced, as well as genetic models are examined, including models combining different approaches.

Keywords: animal model; fibrosis; hepatocellular carcinoma; high-fat diet; mouse; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; rat.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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