Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Pathology, Disease Models and Therapies

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by a range of conditions induced through fat accumulation in the liver. This disease impacts population all around the world. NAFLD prevalence is rising at an alarming rate over the past years. To address the alarming increase in NAFLD prevalence, researchers are attempting to develop effective therapeutics to combat NAFLD. To develop NAFLD therapeutics, it is crucial to address current knowledge in NAFLD pathogenesis. Through summarizing current knowledge in NAFLD pathogenesis, researchers can better visualize current knowledge surrounding the disease and present knowledge gaps in the field. This review aims to deeply understand the role of three key NAFLD pathogenic factors: hepatic lipotoxicity, hepatic inflammation, and insulin resistance, and proposes potential target for NAFLD treatment. Furthermore, this review systematically summarizes current disease models and NAFLD therapies. In general, this review provides an overview of the progress of NAFLD and discusses reliable and practical models of NAFLD.