**Preface to "Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Pathogenesis of Hepatic Fibrosis"**

Liver fibrosis is an important chronic disease considered one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It is characterized by progressive accumulation of extracellular matrix in the liver which destroys the physiological architecture and results in functional impairments. Based on the high medical and economic burden associated with hepatic fibrosis and associated complications, there is an urgent need to understand the pathogenetic mechanisms of this disease and to improve present diagnostic and therapeutic options. Undoubtedly, the evolution of understanding the functional role of cells and mediators contributing to the progression and outcome of liver fibrogenesis has been remarkable during the last years. Nevertheless, well-accepted anti-fibrotic therapies are still missing.

Key issues, current perspectives, and novel experimental findings in liver fibrosis research were recently summarized by over 300 leading experts from 25 countries in a Special Issue of Cells entitled "Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Pathogenesis of Hepatic Fibrosis". The respective collection of articles covers general mechanistic concepts of liver fibrosis, provide information about disease mediators, highlight important aspects relevant in disease progression and discuss therapeutic and diagnostic consequences resulting thereof.

The present book contains a small selection of 12 articles of the mentioned Special Issue. These reports highlight different aspects of liver fibrosis research and exemplarily show how this fascinating discipline has made conceptual advances during the last years. They further document how basic researchers and clinicians work together in understanding the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis and how this knowledge can be used to establish novel therapeutic or diagnostic options.

I would like to thank all authors again for providing excellent and stimulating contributions to the mentioned Special Issue and this book project. Moreover, I would like to acknowledge the excellent and efficient work of the expert reviewers that helped in realizing this project by reviewing submissions in a timely, fair, and constructive manner.

I am grateful to the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), which enabled the Special issue and the production of this book.

At the end, I wish the reader of this book pleasant reading and hope that she/he will be inspired to download additional articles of the Special Issue that are freely available at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cells/special issues/hepatic fibrosis.

> **Ralf Weiskirchen** *Special Issue Editor*

*Review*
