Fig. 1.

NAFL spectrum during development and progression. In healthy livers, fat accumulation in hepatocytes develops a non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) that can progress from steatosis to a more severe form of steatohepatitis (NASH) characterized by inflammation and fibrosis. In most cases, but not all, NASH can be reversed to less severe disease through changes in lifestyle and diet. Continued fibrogenesis, however, drives progression of NASH to a state of irreversibility, eventually leading to cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma in some cases