Top: i-HHSC in Activated state: Left: i-HHSC immunostained for α-smooth muscle actin (green) and GFAP (red). Right: i-HHSC immunostained for fibronectin (green). Nuclei are stained with DAPI.
Bottom: i-HHSC in Quiescent state: when incubated with i-HHSC Quiescent Medium (Cat# i7121K-100), i-HHSC develop and retain lipid droplets as visualized by
...Human iPSC-Derived Hepatic Stellate Cells: i-HHSC
Human iPSC-Derived Hepatic Stellate Cells (i-HHSC) are specialized stellate cells generated by differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into perisinusoidal (Space of Disse) cell–like populations.
Description
Human iPSC-Derived Hepatic Stellate Cells (i-HHSC) are specialized stellate cells generated by differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into perisinusoidal (Space of Disse) cell–like populations. i-HHSC are used to model how the hepatic stellate cell compartment regulates liver homeostasis, coordinates tissue regeneration, and drives the progression of chronic liver disease. In the healthy liver context, stellate cells support normal metabolism through retinol (vitamin A) storage in intracellular lipid droplets, while also maintaining appropriate extracellular matrix organization. Because i-HHSC can be produced at scale and integrated into engineered co-culture systems — often with hepatocyte and endothelial cell populations — they provide a practical human platform for investigating stellate cell biology across states that range from quiescent-like behavior to activated, pro-fibrotic phenotypes.
A key application of i-HHSC is studying the transition from a resting, retinol-associated stellate cell state to an activated state characterized by altered proliferation, contractility, and extracellular matrix production. Upon exposure to inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cues, i-HHSC typically downregulate retinoid-handling features and adopt a myofibroblast-like phenotype associated with increased extracellular matrix deposition and fibrogenic signaling. This activation program underlies fibrosis and, when sustained, contributes to progressive remodeling that can culminate in cirrhosis. In this way, i-HHSC support mechanistic studies of how chronic liver disease — such as chronic liver disease driven by non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) — links metabolic stress to fibrotic progression via stellate cell chemotaxis, proliferation, and contractile remodeling of the perisinusoidal microenvironment.
Because chronic liver disease pathways involve cross-talk among multiple liver cell types, i-HHSC are frequently incorporated into systems that include hepatocyte and other supporting populations to examine stellate cell–mediated effects on regeneration and tissue organization. In vitro modeling with i-HHSC helps connect inflammation, metabolism, and fibrogenic extracellular matrix changes to measurable functional outcomes such as altered hepatocyte performance, impaired regenerative capacity, and tissue stiffening associated with fibrosis and cirrhosis.
i-HHSC are also used to explore disease-relevant remodeling in more advanced settings, including conditions that increase hepatocellular carcinoma risk. In these contexts, stellate cells can shape the tumor-supportive microenvironment through extracellular matrix remodeling and secretion of signaling factors that influence hepatocyte behavior and cancer-associated progression. By enabling controlled, human-derived modeling of stellate cell activation, extracellular matrix dynamics, and the retinol–fibrosis balance, Human iPSC-Derived Hepatic Stellate Cells (i-HHSC) support both mechanistic discovery and translational research aimed at improving outcomes in liver disease, including fibrosis regression and preservation of homeostasis, regeneration, and liver function.
Induced human hepatic stellate cells (i-HHSC), derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), serve as a powerful tool for studying liver diseases. Hepatic stellate cells are located between hepatocytes and blood vessels in the liver, where they play crucial roles in liver homeostasis, maintenance, and regeneration.
In the quiescent state, i-HHSC primarily function in the storage of retinoids within lipid droplets. However, upon activation, these cells expel lipid droplets and shift toward a proliferative state. The activation of hepatic stellate cells in various disease states contributes to the deposition of a collagen-rich extracellular matrix, a hallmark of liver fibrosis, and conditions such as hepatitis B and C, fatty liver disease, diabetes, and other chronic liver disorders.
i-HHSC are cultured in an optimized Human iPSC-Derived Hepatic Stellate Cell i-HHSC Growth Medium. When necessary, these cells can be transitioned into the quiescent state using the Human iPSC-Derived Hepatic Stellate Cell i-HHSC Quiescent Culture Medium Kit, promoting the accumulation of lipid droplets. The culture of i-HHSC provides a valuable platform for studying liver function, physiology, and the pathophysiology of liver diseases.
Details
| Source | Derived from Human iPSC of a single donor. | |
|---|---|---|
| QC | No bacteria, yeast, fungi, mycoplasma, virus. | |
| Bioassay | Quienscent cells are positive for lipid drops in cytoplasm & Oil Red O Staining. | |
| Cryovial | Approxiately 500,000 equivalents of i-HHSC (1st passage) in freezing medium. | |
| Kit | Cryovial frozen i-HHSC cells (i782-05), i-HHSC Medium (i7117-500), i-HHSC Quiescent Culture Medium Kit (i7121K-100). | |
| Cultured | Contact us for availability. | |
| Doublings | At least 16. | |
| Applications | Laboratory research use only (RUO). Not for human, clinical, diagnostic or veterinary use. |
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