Contribution of Myofibroblasts of Different Origins to Liver Fibrosis

Abstract

The most common cause of liver failure is cirrhosis, due to progressive liver fibrosis and other architectural changes in the liver. Fibrosis occurs after liver injury or stress and results directly from an imbalance between the processes of extracellular matrix synthesis (fibrogenesis) and degradation (fibrolysis). Although research studies have identified several promising targets at the molecular level, current therapies to prevent and treat hepatic fibrosis in patients have only shown limited success. It is well established that liver myofibroblasts (MFs) are the primary effector cells responsible for the extensive extracellular matrix accumulation and scar formation observed during hepatic fibrosis, in both clinical and experimental settings. Thus, as the major fibrogenic cells implicated in wound healing and tissue repair response, liver MFs could represent excellent targets for antifibrotic therapies. Still, the exact nature and identities of liver MFs precursors have yet to be resolved, and their relative contribution to hepatic fibrosis to be determined. The goal of this review is to examine the relative importance of liver MF precursors in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.