Fig. 1
From: Roles of hepatic stellate cells in liver inflammation: a new perspective
Schematic diagram of the proinflammatory effects of HSCs in liver inflammation. Inflammatory signals, such as bacterial products or toxic substances entering the liver through the portal circulation, first encounter immune cells and endothelial cells in the sinusoids. Immune cells (Kupffer cells and leukocytes) produce large amount of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which in turn damage endothelial cells and act on HSCs. Sinusoidal inflammation amplifies in a paracrine manner, causing hepatocyte injury through cytokines themselves or through infiltration of leukocytes into the liver parenchyma