Expression of pleiotrophin and its receptors in hepatic cells and in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs)– Pleiotrophin in hepatic stellate cells

Pleiotrophin (PTN) is a heparin-binding protein and a growth factor with a broad spectrum of biological activities very similar to the Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs). FGFs and PTN promote the growth, survival, and migration of various cells, and play many roles in epithelial mesenchymal interactions during organogenesis. Particulary, expression of PTN has been implicated in the development and tissue repair of the liver. PTN interacts with several receptor proteins which may transduce PTN signaling in a cell type specific way. As PTN receptor has been proposed syndecan-3, receptor-tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP)ze…