Hepatic stellate cells - from past till present: morphology, human markers, human cell lines, behavior in normal and liver pathology

Vol. 61 No. 3, 2020

ROMANIAN JOURNAL of MORPHOLOGY and EMBRYOLOGY

Rada-Teodora Sufletel, Carmen Stanca Melincovici, Bogdan-Alexandru Gheban, Zaharie Toader, Carmen Mihaela Mihu

Hepatic stellate cell (HSC), initially analyzed by von Kupffer, in 1876, revealed to be an extraordinary mesenchymal cell, essential for both hepatocellular function and lesions, being the hallmark of hepatic fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis. Apart from their implications in hepatic injury, HSCs play a vital role in liver development and regeneration, xenobiotic response, intermediate metabolism, and regulation of immune response. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge regarding HSCs morphology, human HSCs markers and human HSC cell lines. We also summarize the latest findings concerning their roles in normal and liver pathology, focusing on their impact in fibrogenesis, chronic viral hepatitis and liver tumors.

Corresponding author: Carmen Stanca Melincovici, Lecturer, MD, PhD; e-mail: cmelincovici@yahoo.com

DOI: 10.47162/RJME.61.3.01 Download PDF
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