About this Research Topic
Advancement of liver fibrosis is a dynamic process characterised by accumulation exceeding degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Over the last two decades, sinusoidal resident hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have been commonly recognised as the major source of ECM. HSC activation and transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts (MFBs) are key events in liver fibrogenesis. The initiation phase of HSC activation is due to paracrine stimuli from injured neighboring cells, including hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, sinusoidal endothelial cells, platelets and infiltrating inflammatory cells. These damaged cells secret a number of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors to activate HSCs. The important pro-fibrotic factors among them include transforming growth factor (TGF)-, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), Interleukins, et al.
We plan to welcome active experts in this field to review the advancement on the role of the pro-fibrotic factors in liver fibrosis. The Research Topic will focus on the signaling of these important pro-fibrotic factors in HSCs during liver fibrogenesis.
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