Hepatocyte growth factor/hepatopoietin A is expressed in fat-storing cells from rat liver but not myofibroblast-like cells derived from fat-storing cells.

Hepatocyte growth factor/hepatopoietin A is a complete mitogen for parenchymal liver cells, and its expression is increased as an early response to acute liver injury. To identify the liver cell population responsible for hepatocyte growth factor gene expression, we investigated tissue sections and isolated and purified cell fractions from normal rat liver by in situ and Northern blot hybridization. Hepatocyte growth factor transcripts were present in sinusoidal liver cells, which were preferentially located in the periportal parenchyma. Northern hybridization analysis of RNA isolated from purified liver cell fractions demonstrated that HGF messenger RNA is present only in fat-storing cells…