Ten Thousand Points of Light - Heterogeneity Among the Stars of NASH Fibrosis

Heterogeneity among hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), widely acknowledged as the 'stars' of hepatic fibrosis, has been hinted at for decades based on immunohistochemical methods. Now, more refined approaches, epitomized by the studies of Rosenthal et al. in this issue of Hepatology, have amplified this concept. Earlier investigators noted striking variability across the hepatic lobule in hallmark features of HSCs including vitamin A storage and dendritic arborization -- indications that not every HSC is alike.