Atorvastatin induces apoptosis by a caspase-9-dependent pathway: an in vitro study on activated rat hepatic stellate cells.

Background: Statins are shown to have cholesterol-independent properties such as anti-inflammation and immunomodulation. Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) acquire the capacity to synthesize matrix proteins in damaged liver. We tested the hypothesis that atorvastatin may be capable of inducing apoptosis in HSCs.

Endoreplication and polyploidy in primary culture of rat hepatic stellate cells.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the pericytes of hepatic sinusoids, and liver myofibroblasts (rMFs), cells located in the portal field and around the pericentral area, are the principal fibrogenic cell types of the liver. In cases of liver damage HSCs undergo "activation," i.e.