The role of hepatic microenvironment in hepatic fibrosis development

AIM: Fibrosis is a common pathological feature of most types of chronic liver injuries. There is no specific treatment for liver fibrosis at present. The liver microenvironment, which fosters the survival and activity of liver cells, plays an important role in maintaining the normal structure and physiological function of the liver. The aim of this review is to deeply understand the role of the liver microenvironment in the dynamic and complicated development of liver fibrosis. METHODS: After searching in Elsevier ScienceDirect, PubMed and Web of Science databases using ‘liver fibrosis’ and ‘microenvironment’ as keywords, studies related to microenvironment in liver fibrosis was compiled and examined. RESULTS: The homeostasis of the liver microenvironment is disrupted during the development of liver fibrosis, affecting liver cell function, causing various types of cell reactions, and changing the cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, eventually affecting fibrosis formation. CONCLUSION: Liver microenvironment may be important for identifying potential therapeutic targets, and restoring microenvironment homeostasis may be an important strategy for promoting the reversal of liver fibrosis. KEY MESSAGES: The homeostasis of the liver microenvironment is disrupted in liver fibrosis; A pro-fibrotic microenvironment is formed during the development of liver fibrosis; Restoring microenvironment homeostasis may be an important strategy for promoting the reversal of liver fibrosis.