Thy–1 is expressed in liver myofibroblasts but not in hepatic stellate cells

Aims: Thy–1 is a glycophosphatidylinositol-linked outer membrane leaflet glycoprotein. In several organs (lung, kidney) it was described in myofibroblastic mesenchymal cells. In the liver it was found in progenitor cells (oval cells) and some scattered data suggested its presence in liver mesenchymal cells. The current study examined isolated populations of liver mesenchymal cells for their Thy–1 gene expression and protein synthesis. Methods: Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and rat liver myofibroblasts (rMF) were isolated from adult female Wistar rats. HSC were used in primary (days 0–8) and rMF in primary and pas…