Expression of extracellular matrix genes in cultured hepatic oval cells: an origin of hepatic stellate cells through transforming growth factor beta?

Abstract

Except for the expression of ECM, the cultured hepatic oval cells could induce an increased expression of hepatic stellate cell markers by TGF-beta1 through an epithelial-mesenchymal transition process, which might indicate the contribution of hepatic oval cells to liver fibrosis.