Use of Stem Cells to Block the Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells in Diseased Liver

Abstract

Liver is an important organ in vertebrates and performs major functions such as digestion, drug detoxification, and protein synthesis. Chronic liver fibrosis is a major threat to human life. The etiology of liver fibrosis includes chronic hepatitis infection, alcohol abuse, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The pathophysiology of liver fibrosis shows that there is accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins including collagen, proteoglycan, and adhesive glycoproteins. Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major collagen-producing cells in the liver. The present in vitro study demonstrates that bipotential murine oval liver (BMOL) stem cells secrete soluble factors, which are capable of inducing apoptosis in activated HSCs and inhibit the formation of collagen. Further, the study can be extended to identify the soluble factors capable of attenuating activated HSCs and opens a new research direction to control liver fibrosis.