Hepatic non-parenchymal cells and extracellular matrix participate in oval cell-mediated liver regeneration

Figure 2 HSCs response and correlation with oval cell following PH of rats treated with AAF. A: Increase in number of desmin positive stellate cells in the portal areas. Very few of HSCs were small interlobular sinusoidal cells on day 2 after PH (× 200); B: Further increase in number of stellate cells at the periphery of the portal areas at day 6 after PH (× 200); C: Double immunofluorescent labelling for ov-6 (red) and desmin (green) on day 9 after PH. The strings of ductular oval cells are closely surrounded by the mesh-like desmin (+) stellate cells (× 400); D: On day 12 after PH, dash line marks the edge of a regenerative small hepatocyte focus. Desmin (+) cells are present around the focus, and occasionally in the focus (× 200); E: Double immunofluorescent labelling for ov-6 (red) and desmin (green) on day 12 after PH. Desmin (+) cells accompany the ductular structure around small hepatocytes focus. There are few HSCs in the focus negative for ov-6 (× 200); F: By day 18 after PH, the number of desmin (+) portal stellate cells is further decreased ( ×100).