Controversies over the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Liver Fibrosis

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Kojiro Taura¹  Keiko Iwaisako³  Etsuro Hatano¹  Shinji Uemoto¹  David A. Brenner²  Tatiana Kisseleva² 

[1] Department of Surgery, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan;;Department of Surgery, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8507, JapanDepartment of Target Therapy Oncology Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan;

关键词: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT);    liver fibrosis;    myofibroblast;    hepatocyte;    cholangiocyte;   

DOI  :  10.3390/jcm5010009

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Liver fibrosis is a universal consequence of chronic liver diseases. It is accompanied by activation of collagen-producing myofibroblasts, resulting in excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. The origin of myofibroblasts in the fibrotic liver has not been completely resolved and remains a matter of debate. Recently, the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was proposed as one of the mechanisms that give rise to collagen-producing myofibroblasts in liver fibrosis. However, subsequent studies contradicted this hypothesis, and the EMT theory has become one of the most controversial and debatable issues in the field of liver fibrosis research. This review will summarize the existing literature on EMT in liver fibrosis and will analyze the causes for the contradictory results to draw a reasonable conclusion based on current knowledge in the field.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.