Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Liver cirrhosis is irreversible damage or scarring to the liver as a result of advanced liver disease (such as hepatitis) that stops the liver functioning, potentially leading to liver failure. Healthy tissue is replaced by areas of liver fibrosis and regenerative nodules, which alters the normal structure of the liver.