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Interplay between bone marrow and liver in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis
Author(s) -
Inagaki Yutaka,
Higashiyama Reiichi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/j.1872-034x.2012.00978.x
Subject(s) - pathogenesis , bone marrow , liver fibrosis , hepatic fibrosis , medicine , pathology , fibrosis , cancer research
Recent advances in the technologies of both molecular biology and regenerative medicine have made it possible to identify bone marrow (BM)‐derived cells migrating into various fibrotic organs including the liver. A number of studies have reported that BM‐derived cells migrating into fibrotic liver tissue exhibit a myofibroblast‐like phenotype and may participate in the progression of liver fibrosis. On the other hand, it has also been shown that BM‐derived cells express matrix metalloproteinases and contribute to the regression of experimental liver fibrosis. These contradictory results may arise, at least in part, from the uncertainty of various different methods that have been used in those studies. In this review article, we describe the interplay between BM and liver in the progression and regression of liver fibrosis, with an emphasis on the necessity of qualified methods with high specificity and sensitivity to evaluate the role of BM‐derived cells in collagen production.