TIMP1 and Hepatic fibrosis: In the context of hepatic fibrosis, the body commonly secretes tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), which has been found to promote the activation of survival signaling and NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa beta) pathways in HSCs [50], consequently downregulating the expression of pro-apoptotic pathways and maintaining the activity of aHSCs [51–53].