Novel endothelial LECT2/Tie1 signaling in liver fibrosis

Angiogenesis and capillarization are completely distinct pathophysiological processes mediated by different subtypes of endothelial cells (ECs) in the liver. Both processes have been linked to liver fibrogenesis, but previous studies have not addressed this distinction explicitly. Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is a secreted protein mainly produced by hepatocytes with expression in ECs as well, whose role in the liver has been poorly understood.