British scientists have discovered a new type of cell called the "leader cell" in the liver. They play an important role in self repair after liver damage. Researchers say this discovery has the potential to lead to new liver disease therapies. The relevant paper was published in the new issue of the journal Nature. The liver can self repair after experiencing damage such as hepatitis, drug-induced damage, and alcoholic liver disease. But sometimes the liver is severely damaged and cannot heal quickly, leading to acute liver failure. Some patients with acute liver failure can be reversed through medication. However, if the situation is more severe, the only treatment may be emergency liver transplantation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discover new methods to enhance the liver's self-healing ability. In the latest study, Professor Neil Henderson and colleagues from the Inflammatory Research Center at the University of Edinburgh in the UK sequenced genes in liver cells of patients with acute liver failure and compared them with those of healthy individuals to generate a map of liver regeneration. This map shows which cells are active during the repair process, thus discovering new "leader cells". The research team also observed how the leading cells in mice repair liver damage caused by acetaminophen. They noticed that during the wound healing process, these cells take the lead, quickly closing the wound and then rapidly proliferating, further sealing the wound. This indicates that before creating new tissue, the liver prioritizes closing the wound to prevent bacteria from entering the organs and causing widespread infection. Henderson stated that cutting-edge technology enabled them to study the regeneration process of the human liver very clearly for the first time and identify the cell types crucial for liver repair. They hope that this study can accelerate the discovery of new therapies urgently needed by liver disease patients. (Lai Xin She)