Expression profile of fibroblast growth factors in hepatic stellate cells and experimental models of liver fibrosis

The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family comprises 23 structurally related proteins divided in seven subfamilies. FGFs are major regulators of repair and wound healing in various tissues and organs. Also liver fibrosis can be considered as a wound healing process in response to chronic liver injury, and on a cellular level, the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) is the key event of hepatic fibrosis. Although current therapies target FGF-receptors for the treatment of hepatocellular cancer, the expression and function of different FGFs in hepatic fibrosis is still very poorly understood.