Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL cooperatively maintain integrity of hepatocytes in developing and adult murine liver

Mcl-1 is critical for blocking apoptosis in adult liver and, in the absence of Bcl-xL, is essential for normal liver development. Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL are two major anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins expressed in the liver and cooperatively control hepatic integrity during liver development and in adult liver homeostasis in a gene dose-dependent manner.