The Extracellular Matrix in Liver Regeneration: Biological and Therapeutic Insights

The liver possesses a remarkable regenerative capacity following injury, a process fundamentally orchestrated by the dynamic extracellular matrix (ECM). Far beyond a passive scaffold, the liver matrisome functions as an integrative mechano-biochemical circuit. It comprises a core structural network together with regulatory non-core components that collectively establish a dynamic niche. This niche stores and releases mitogenic cues, transmits mechanical forces, and coordinates multicellular crosstalk. Through receptors like integrins and mechanosensitive channels, ECM-derived signals converge on key pathways, including Hippo-YAP/TAZ and Wnt/β-catenin, to drive hepatocyte proliferation and tissue restructuring. The balance between matrix stabilization and remodeling dictates the outcome, guiding physiological regeneration versus fibrotic progression. Consequently, the ECM emerges as a central therapeutic target and a blueprint for engineering strategies aimed at restoring liver function. Strategies to recalibrate its composition, mechanics, and remodeling, from pharmacological inhibitors to bioengineered decellularized ECM scaffolds, hold significant potential for steering liver repair and combating chronic liver disease.