Table 2.

Molecular serum markers of liver fibrosis.

Marker	Function	References	BIPED
Liver function
ALT	Metabolic enzymes in the liver	33–36	I
AST	Metabolic enzymes in the liver	37,38	I
ECM formation
PIIINP	Propeptide of collagen type III	46–48,50,55,57	I,D
PINP	Propeptide of collagen type I	62	I
Type IV collagen	Basement membrane formation	58–60	I,D
P4NP 7S	N-terminal pro-peptides of type IV collagen 7S domain	61	I
PVCP	Propeptide of collagen type V	64	I
HA	Component of ECM	66–68	I,D
YKL-40	Glycoprotein involved in ECM turnover	72–75	I,D
MFAP	Glycoprotein involved in ECM turnover	76	I,D
Fibrolytic process	Neo-epitope
MMP-1/MMP-13	Degrade fibrotic matrix	77,78	I
MMP-2	Degrades basal membranes and fibrotic matrix	80	I
MMP-9	Degrades basal membranes	77	I
TIMP-1	Inhibits MMP-1 activity	77,78,81	I
ECM degradation
CO3-610	Collagen type III fragment generated by MMP-9	85–87	I
CO6-MMP	Collagen type VI fragment generated by MMP-2,9	89	I
CO1-764	Collagen type I fragment generated by MMP-2,9,13	90	I
C4M	Collagen type IV fragment generated by MMP-9,	88	I
Cytokines
TGF-β	Growth factor stimulates production of ECM by HSC	92–94	I
CTGF	Potent pro-fibrogenic factor	101,103	I
PDGF	Growth factor stimulates proliferation of HSC	98,99	I
TNF-α	Inflammatory cytokine involved in fibrogenesis	95,96	I
IL-4,6,8,18	Inflammatory cytokine involved in fibrogenesis	95,96	I