Persistent Biliary Hypoxia and Lack of Regeneration Are Key Mechanisms in the Pathogenesis of Post-transplant Non-anastomotic Strictures.

NAS are characterized by a microscopic phenotype of chronic biliary hypoxia due to loss of microvasculature, resulting in reduced proliferation and differentiation of PBG stem/progenitor cells into mature cholangiocytes. These findings suggest that persistent biliary hypoxia is a key mechanism underlying the development of NAS after OLT.