Hepatic stem cell niches
Claus Kordes, Dieter Häussinger
Claus Kordes, Dieter Häussinger
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Hepatic stem cell niches

Abstract

Stem cell niches are special microenvironments that maintain stem cells and control their behavior to ensure tissue homeostasis and regeneration throughout life. The liver has a high regenerative capacity that involves stem/progenitor cells when the proliferation of hepatocytes is impaired. In recent years progress has been made in the identification of potential hepatic stem cell niches. There is evidence that hepatic progenitor cells can originate from niches in the canals of Hering; in addition, the space of Disse may also serve as a stem cell niche during fetal hematopoiesis and constitute a niche for stellate cells in adults.

Authors

Claus Kordes, Dieter Häussinger

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Figure 2

Model of intercellular communication in the stellate cell niche of normal liver.

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Model of intercellular communication in the stellate cell niche of norma...
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are located on basement membrane proteins such as laminin and collagen type IV (grid) between LSECs and parenchymal cells (PCs). HSCs are attracted to LSECs through CXCL12 and are associated with PCs, which express Notch ligands such as jagged 1 (JAG1) and release canonical WNT ligands to influence stellate cell development (72). Quiescent stellate cells in turn secrete HGF, which is probably involved in liver tissue homeostasis and can support hepatic progenitor cells (75, 76). HSCs receive signals from the sympathetic nervous system through norepinephrine (NE) release (112, 115).