This book 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...