Progressive liver fibrosis, induced by chronic viral and metabolic disorders, leads to more
than one million deaths annually via development of cirrhosis, although no antifibrotic …

Hepatic stellate cells are resident perisinusoidal cells distributed throughout the liver, with a
remarkable range of functions in normal and injured liver. Derived embryologically from …

β-catenin (encoded by CTNNB1) is a subunit of the cell surface cadherin protein complex
that acts as an intracellular signal transducer in the WNT signaling pathway; alterations in its …

Tissue injury disrupts the mechanical homeostasis that underlies normal tissue architecture
and function. The failure to resolve injury and restore homeostasis gives rise to progressive …

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is widely recognized as a core pathway of fibrosis.
Inhibition of TGF-β signaling may thus offer potential for antifibrotic therapies. Long-term …

Fibroblasts have exceptional phenotypic plasticity and capability to secrete vast amount of
soluble factors, extracellular matrix components and extracellular vesicles. While in …

Chronic liver damage leads to pathological accumulation of ECM proteins (liver fibrosis).
Comprehensive characterization of the human ECM molecular composition is essential for …

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key regulator of tissue morphogenesis and repair.
However, its composition and architecture are not well characterized. Here, we monitor …

M2 macrophage polarization is known to underlie kidney fibrosis. We previously reported
that most of the members of the Wnt family of signaling proteins are induced in fibrotic …

The glomerulus contains unique cellular and extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which
are required for intact barrier function. Studies of the cellular components have helped to …