Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a
peptide-containing multifunctional
cytokine that acts on various epithelial cells to regulate cell growth, movement and morphogenesis, and tissue regeneration of injured organs. HGF is sequestered by
heparin-like
protein in its inactive form and is widespread in the extracellular matrix of most tissues. When the liver loses its average mass, volume, or physiological and biochemical functions due to various reasons, HGF binds to its specific receptor c-Met (cellular mesenchymal-epithelial transition) and transmits the signals into the cells, and triggers the intrinsic
kinase activity of c-Met. The downstream cascades of HGF/c-Met include JAK/STAT3, PI3K/Akt/NF-κB, and Ras/Raf pathways, affecting cell proliferation, growth, and survival. HGF has important clinical significance for
liver fibrosis, hepatocyte regeneration after
inflammation, and liver regeneration after
transplantation. And the development of HGF as a biological drug for regenerative
therapy of diseases, that is, using recombinant
human HGF protein to treat disorders in clinical trials, is underway. This review summarizes the recent findings of the HGF/c-Met signaling functions in liver regeneration.