hepatic stellate cell
hepatic stellate cell
A cell that is found in the perisinusoidal space of the liver that is capable of multiple roles including storage of retinol, presentation of antigen to T cells (including CD1d-restricted NKT cells), and upon activation, production of extracellular matrix components that can contribute to liver fibrosis. This activated state has a myofibroblast-like phenotype, though it's not clear in the literature if this is terminally differentiated. This cell type comprises approximately 8-15% of total cells in the liver.