Regulated expression of the Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) in cultured rat hepatic stellate cells during transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts

Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) has been identified as a receptor tyrosine kinase for the growth factor pleiotrophin. ALK belongs to the insulin-receptor related receptor tyrosine kinases and till now ALK expression was exclusively described at selected sites in the nervous system. Neurotrophic factors and their receptors are related in non-neural tissue to differentiation and tissue remodelling after injury. We found ALK to be expressed on isolated primary rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and examined whether in vitro transdifferentiation of HSCs into myofibroblasts may be associated with changes in ALK expre…