A single endotoxin aggression causes dose-dependent reversible activation of rat liver Ito cells without their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts.

The effect of Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide on rat hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells was studied. The damage and regeneration potential of the liver were evaluated by activation of perisinusoidal Ito cells and proliferative activity of liver cells. Compensatory and repair reactions in the liver induced by lipopolysaccharide manifested by proliferation of liver cells and reversible activation of Ito cells without their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts.