Osaka Metropolitan University May 14 2026 The liver is often called a "silent organ," as it can sustain significant damage without obvious symptoms. But when injury is prolonged, whether from alcohol, poor diet, or chronic hepatitis virus infection, it triggers fibrosis: a progressive hardening and scarring of liver tissue. Without effective intervention, fibrosis can advance to cirrhosis and liver cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Despite decades of research, no