Pointing at Ito cell, from structure to function (or Cinderella story in liver histology)

Vol. 57 No. 3, 2016

ROMANIAN JOURNAL of MORPHOLOGY and EMBRYOLOGY

Adriana Grigoras, Simona Eliza Giusca, Elena Roxana Avadanei, Cornelia Amalinei, Irina-Draga Caruntu

For more than 130 years, the hepatic stellate cells (also known as Ito cells) have been the object of numerous studies that aimed at their characterization both in normal and postlesional status, where they play a key role in fibrosis progression specific for chronic hepatic pathology. Converged studies on their histophysiology have revealed other functions, namely the involvement in liver embryological development and regeneration, metabolisms regulation, modulation of local inflammatory and immune reactions. Ito cells plasticity is surprising, as they are able to provide the connection between the complex sinusoidal and parenchymal microenvironment, influencing by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms the extracellular matrix content in tight correlation to growth and repair necessities. Last but not least, Ito cells take an active part in systemic homeostasis maintenance by their capacity to store and mobilize vitamin A, respectively. The evolving interest in their research will be undoubtedly followed by a better knowledge of the physiopathological sequences responsible for liver diseases, as new targets for the development of new therapeutic approaches directed toward improvement of prognosis and patients quality of life.

Corresponding author: Irina-Draga Caruntu, Professor, MD, PhD; e-mail: irinadragacaruntu@gmail.com

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