Expression of ECM proteins fibulin-1 and -2 in acute and chronic liver disease and in cultured rat liver cells.

Fibulin-2 has previously been considered as a marker to distinguish rat liver myofibroblasts from hepatic stellate cells. The function of other fibulins in acute or chronic liver damage has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the expression of fibulin-1 and -2 in models of rat liver injury and in human liver cirrhosis.

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.