Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a fibro-obliterative cholangiopathy of unknown etiology. While
Kasai portoenterostomy achieves temporary biliary drainage in some cases, BA remains
the most common indication for liver transplantation during childhood. During the
last few decades, observations on BA, like cholestatic diseases in animals and the
introduction of different animal models for BA, have not achieved the anticipated
results, and we are still not able to translate the basic research to the patient's
bedside. This article presents a review of the literature on available BA animal models
and gives a glimpse of future developments.
Keywords
biliary atresia - etiology - research - animal models
