内容简介：
This text contains papers from members of the Italian Group for the Study of Liver Cirrhosis and Viral Hepatitis, formed in 1980 on the basis of recognition and financial support from the Italian Ministry of the University. The primary initiative of the group is to combine experimental and clinical approaches in the study of liver pathophysiology. We have gathered specific experiences of all the centers included in the national program. Each group was required to present an update in its own field of research, rather than specific or recently obtained results which could have been reported only in relationship with data already published by others. This volume affirms the specific competence of all the participants and summarizes the most important updates in liver pathophysiology. The volume is divided into 5 sections dealing with different aspects of liver pathophysiology. Many contributions focus on the pathophysiology of liver injury and on clinical and pathogenetic aspects of hepatitis C virus infection, which today are representative of emergent fields. Other important aspects include the pathophysiology of liver cancer and clinical and therapeutic approaches in liver cirrhosis.