In Search of Zonation Markers to Identify Liver Functional Disorders

Table 3

Newly-defined molecules as prospective markers to identify liver zonation.

Zone	Potential markers	Biological processes/function	Detection methods	References
Pericentral zone	ICAM1	This gene encodes cell surface glycoproteins mainly expressed on endothelial cells.	Immunostaining (protein); Diffusion pseudotime (DPT) analysis and self-organizing maps (SOMs) (gene)	[40]; [45]
	GLUL	The protein encoded by this gene plays a role in acid-base homeostasis, ammonia and glutamate detoxification, and cell proliferation.	Immunostaining (protein); DPT and SOMs (gene)
	ENG	This gene encodes a transmembrane protein, which is a glycoprotein of the vascular endothelium.	Immunostaining (protein); DPT and SOMs (gene)
	miR-93	miR93 inhibits the expression of transcription factor 7-like 1 (Tcf7l1).	qRT-PCR	[34]
Periportal zone	ALB	The protein encoded by this gene plays a role in the regulation of blood plasma colloid osmotic pressure and acts as a carrier protein.	DPT and SOMs (gene)	[40]; [45]
	BTNL9	The expression of the protein encoded by this gene is found in several types of cancers.	DPT and SOMs (gene)	[40]
	ANPEP	The protein encoded by this gene is expressed in plasma membranes.	Immunostaining (protein); DPT and SOMs (gene)
	PCK1	This gene is the main control point for the regulation of gluconeogenesis.	Immunostaining (protein); DPT and SOMs (gene)	[40]; [45]; [46]
	MTHFS	The protein encoded by this gene is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate to 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate.	Immunostaining (protein); DPT and SOMs (gene)	[40]; [46]
	GATM	This gene encodes a mitochondrial enzyme that is involved in creatine biosynthesis.	Immunostaining (protein); DPT and SOMs (gene)
	Liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP)	This protein controls fatty acid uptake.	Immunostaining	[24]
	Triglyceride (TG) (high-fat diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mouse model)	TG is the composition of lipids.	TG assay (liver and plasma)	[26]
	miR-99a and miR-100	They inhibit the expression of frizzled class receptor 8 (Fzd8).	qRT-PCR	[34]

Note: ICAM1: intercellular adhesion molecule 1; GLUL: glutamate-ammonia ligase; ENG: endoglin; ALB: albumin; BTNL9: butyrophilin 9; ANPEP: alanyl aminopeptidase; PCK1: phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1; MTHFS: methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase; GATM: glycine amidinotransferase.