ESR2 and primary biliary cholangitis: Thus, it is tempting to propose that the role—in part—xenoestrogens could play in the development of PBC is via an inhibition of bile duct proliferation and/or promotion of vanishing bile duct syndrome through a sustained activation of ERβ in cholangiocytes after an initial cholestatic insult (be it ER dependent or independent, see Supplementary Figure S3 for immunohistochemistry for ER expression in mouse liver; see Supplementary Figure S4 for schematic diagram).