The present invention relates to precursor cells to hepatic stellate cells, compositions comprising same and methods of isolating same. The surface antigenic profile of the precursors is MHC class Ia negative, ICAM-1+, VCAM-1+, β3-integrin+. In addition to expression of these surface markers, the cells also express the intracellular markers desmin, vimentin, smooth muscle α-actin, nestin, hepatocyte growth factor, stromal derived factor-1α and Hlx homeobox transcriptional factor.本發明係關於肝星形細胞的前驅體細胞,包含其之組合物以及單離其之方法。該等前驅體之表面抗原概況是第Ia型主要組織相容性複體陰性的、ICAM-1+、VCAM-1+、β3-整合素+。除了此等表面標記的表現之外,該等細胞亦表現細胞內的標記:結蛋白、波形蛋白、平滑肌阿伐-肌動蛋白、絲蛋白、肝細胞生長因子、基質細胞衍生因子-1阿伐(stromal derived factor-1α)和Hlx同源盒轉錄因子(Hlx homeobox transcriptional factor)。
