Identification of intramural epithelial networks linked to peribiliary glands that express progenitor cell markers and proliferate after injury in mice.

Unlabelled: Peribiliary glands (PBGs) are clusters of epithelial cells residing in the submucosal compartment of extrahepatic bile ducts (EHBDs). Though their function is largely undefined, they may represent a stem cell niche. Here, we hypothesized that PBGs are populated by mature and undifferentiated cells capable of proliferation in pathological states.