Expression of reelin in hepatic stellate cells and during hepatic tissue repair: a novel marker for the differentiation of HSC from other liver myofibroblasts.

Background/aims: Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and rat liver myofibroblasts (rMF), two similar but not identical cell populations, play a major role during hepatic tissue repair.

Methods: To identify marker proteins for the different fibroblastic cell populations, m-RNA-profiling technology was employed using c-DNAs prepared from HSC and rMF.

Results/conclusions: The extracellular matrix protein reelin was identified through its presence in HSC and absence in rMF derived samples.