NOUR HIJAZI, DON C. ROCKEY*, ZENGDUN SHI*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.9, pp. 2003-2007, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.020171
- 18 May 2022
Abstract Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary effector cells in liver fibrosis. In the normal liver, HSCs serve as the
primary vitamin A storage cells in the body and retain a “quiescent” phenotype. However, after liver injury, they
transdifferentiate to an “activated” myofibroblast-like phenotype, which is associated with dramatic upregulation of
smooth muscle specific actin and extracellular matrix proteins. The result is a fibrotic, stiff, and dysfunctional liver.
Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern HSC function is essential for the development of
anti-fibrotic medications. The actin cytoskeleton has emerged as a key component of More >
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