Does Mechanocrine Signalling by Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells Offer New Opportunities for the Development of Anti-fibrotics?

Soydemir, Sumeyye, Comella, Olivia, Abdelmottaleb, Dina and Pritchett, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2620-7061 (2020) Does Mechanocrine Signalling by Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells Offer New Opportunities for the Development of Anti-fibrotics? Frontiers in Medicine, 6 (312). pp. 1-7. ISSN 2296-858X

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Abstract

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are specialized endothelial cells that have essential roles in normal liver homeostasis, and are also involved in disease processes. The importance of LSEC biology has recently been extensively reviewed. LSECs line the walls of the hepatic sinusoid where they scavenge blood borne macromolecules. LSECs are constantly exposed to antigens carried from the gastrointestinal tract by the portal vein. LSECs therefore have a crucial role, alongside Kupffer cells, as gate keepers for liver immunomodulation. If LSEC immune responses are dysregulated, the result is chronic inflammation which can drive the development of fibrosis.