Growth Differentiation Factor 7 Autocrine Signaling Promotes Hepatic Progenitor Cell Expansion in Liver Fibrosis

Growth differentiation factor 7 (GDF7) expression was analyzed in fibrotic and healthy human liver tissues by immunohistochemistry and qPCR. Cell-specific accumulation of GDF7 was examined by immunofluorescence through co-staining of cell type-specific markers on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human liver tissues.