| [ Summary ] |
Liver fibrosis occurs along with chronic inflammation and hepatocyte damage caused by various etiologies, including viral hepatitis infection, alcohol abuse, and steatohepatitis. Hepatic stellate cells become activated when exposed to bioactive mediators released from injured hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells consisting of Kupffer cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. They then undergo a phenotypic transition from vitamin A-storing quiescent cells into myofibroblast-like cells. These synthesize extracellular matrix materials including type I collagen. The molecular mechanism of stellate cell activation has evolved over the past 2 decades. Research has uncovered the epigenetic aspects of these mechanisms. Research on liver fibrosis has attracted researchers. attention to the relationship between hepatocarcinogenesis and the development of therapeutic strategies for treatment of chronic liver disease. |