TGFB1 and Hepatic fibrosis: Key mechanisms of liver fibrosis include chronic hepatocyte damage, epithelial or endothelial barrier injury, the release of inflammatory cytokines, recruitment of bone marrow-derived inflammatory cells, macrophage production of TGF-β, and activation of hepatic myofibroblasts that secrete type I collagen (COL1A1) to produce excessive ECM (69).