Human Pancreatic Stellate cells

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) comprise 4-7% of parenchymal cells in the pancreas. They play an important role in desmoplastic reaction associated with pancreas diseases. In its quiescence state, human pancreatic stellate cells mainly serve as retinoids (vitamin A and its analogous), storing cells and secreting metalloproteinase that responsible for ECM turnover. Damage to pancreatic tissue, inflammation and carcinogenesis can activate pancreas stellate cells into myofibroblast-like phenotype and increase expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Accumulating evidence have suggested that pancreatic stellate cells play an important role in desmoplastic reaction that can lead to chronic pancreatitis such as malnutrition and diabetes. Their facilitative role during pancreatic cancer metabolism and metastasis has also raised great interest in cancer pathophysiology.

Applications
Human pancreatic stellate cells provide an ideal model for studying its activation mechanism and pathophysiology of pancreas disease in vitro. Many proteins secreted by activated pancreatic stellate cells plays an important role in wound healing, desmoplastic reaction, inflammation, fibrosis, and pancreatic cancer progression. Targeting protein and molecules involved in pancreatic stellate cell phenotype transition, function and calcium signaling pathway may provide new insight into pancreatic disease treatment.