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The hepatic perisinusoidal stellate cell
N. Kawada
Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
Offprint requests to: Norifumi Kawada, M.D., The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, 1-5-7, Asahimachi, Abeno, Osaka 545, Japan
Summary. Hepatic stellate cell (also referred to as Ito
cell, fat-storing cell, perisinusoidal cell, lipocyte) is one
of the sinusoid-constituent cells that play multiple roles
in liver pathophysiology. Although identification of the
stellate cell had taken about 100 years because of the
misconception caused by the discoverer von Kupffer,
Wake made a great contribution to the "re"discovery of
the cell in 1971. Establishment of the isolation of hepatic
non-parenchymal cells from rats by Knook has made it
possible to uncover the metabolic function of individual
cells. Now, the stellate cell function is expanding from a
retinol (fat)-storing site to a center of extracellular
matrix metabolism and mediator production in the liver.
Function as a liver specific pericyte has also been
elucidated. Transition of the stellate cells from the
vitamin A-storing phenotype to "activated" or
"myofibroblastic" cells that produce a large amount of
type I collagen and transforming growth factor ~ triggers
the progress of liver fibrosis in the course of hepatic
inflammation. Communication of the stellate cells with
the other hepatic constituent cells and invading
inflammatory cells is also an important factor that
regulates the local pathological reaction. Analysis of
cellular and molecular aspects of the stellate cell
activation would lead to the establishment of a novel
therapeutic strategy against the progress of liver fibrosis
in human liver disease. Histol Histopathol 12, 1069-1080
(1997)
Key words: Stellate cell, Fibrosis, Cytokine, Smooth
muscle a.-actin, Myofibroblast
DOI: 10.14670/HH-12.1069
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