Augmenter of Liver Regeneration (ALR) regulates bile acid synthesis and attenuates bile acid-induced apoptosis via glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibition.

Bile acid synthesis is restricted to hepatocytes and is rate-limited by CYP7A1 (cholesterol 7α hydroxylase). CYP7A1 expression undergoes tight regulation and is repressed after partial hepatectomy to prevent the accumulation of toxic bile acids. Augmenter of Liver Regeneration (ALR) is a hepatotrophic factor shown to support liver regeneration by augmenting cell proliferation and reducing apoptosis.