Ahead of the Curve (IMAGE) Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Caption This image shows a section of obstructed extrahepatic bile duct in a neonatal mice. It exhibits residual expression of the enzyme called MMP-7 (shown in brown). Researchers report Nov. 22 in Science Translational Medicine that MMP-7 is a strong biomarker candidate for earlier diagnosis of biliary atresia, the most common cause of liver transplants for children in the United States. This could lead to earlier lifesaving treatments and possibly avoid more invasive procedures like liver transplant. Credit Cincinnati Children's Usage Restrictions Credit Cincinnati Children's License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.