The lipids present in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) lipid droplets include retinyl ester

triglyceride

cholesteryl ester

cholesterol

phospholipids and free fatty acids. Activation of HSCs is crucial to the development of fibrosis in liver disease. During activation

HSCs transform into myofibroblasts with concomitant loss of their lipid droplets and production of excessive extracellular matrix. Release of lipid droplets containing retinyl esters and triglyceride is a defining feature of activated HSCs. Accumulating evidence supports the proposal that recovering the accumulation of lipids would inhibit the activation of HSCs. In healthy liver

quiescent HSCs store 80% of total liver retinols and release them depending on the extracellular retinol status. However

in injured liver activated HSCs lose their retinols and produce a considerable amount of extracellular matrix

subsequently leading to liver fibrosis. Further findings prove that lipid metabolism of HSCs is closely associated with its activation

yet relationship between activated HSCs and the lipid metabolism has remained mysterious.