Figure 8.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are key players in the development of fibrosis. HSCs normally reside in the space of Disse as quiescent, lipid (retinyl-ester)-storing cells. Chronic ethanol consumption initiates a complex activation process that transforms these quiescent HSCs into an activated state. Activated HSCs secrete copious amounts of the scar-forming extracellular matrix proteins. This, in turn, contributes to structural changes in the liver, such as the loss of hepatocyte microvilli and sinusoidal endothelial fenestrae, ultimately causing the deterioration of hepatic function.

SOURCE: Figure adapted from Friedman 2000.