Abstract
Background Vitamin A-storing hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are mainly known for their contribution to fibrogenesis in chronic liver disease, but their identity and function in normal liver remained unclear. Since HSC possess stem/ progenitor cell characteristics [1] their contribution to stem cell-associated functions in the liver was investigated. Stem cell functions in the liver were reported during fetal hematopoiesis and tissue repair after severe injury when the proliferation of hepatocytes is impaired. By using several in vitro and in vivo approaches evidence was provided that stellate cells represent mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which can support hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in the fetal liver and contribute to the regeneration of injured liver as multipotent adult stem cells.
Highlights
Vitamin A-storing hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are mainly known for their contribution to fibrogenesis in chronic liver disease, but their identity and function in normal liver remained unclear
Desmin-expressing HSC are closely associated with GATA binding protein 1+ (GATA1+) cell clusters, which represent hematopoietic sites in the fetal liver, indicating that HSC may support blood formation
Among major liver cell types such as hepatocytes, sinusoidal endothelial cells and Kupffer cells, only HSC significantly supported the maintenance of murine SCA1+ hematopoietic stem cells in co-culture
Summary
Vitamin A-storing hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are mainly known for their contribution to fibrogenesis in chronic liver disease, but their identity and function in normal liver remained unclear. Since HSC possess stem/ progenitor cell characteristics [1] their contribution to stem cell-associated functions in the liver was investigated. Stem cell functions in the liver were reported during fetal hematopoiesis and tissue repair after severe injury when the proliferation of hepatocytes is impaired. By using several in vitro and in vivo approaches evidence was provided that stellate cells represent mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which can support hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in the fetal liver and contribute to the regeneration of injured liver as multipotent adult stem cells
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