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Figure 5 Schema of of sinusoids (SI) in mammals. Hepatic sinusoids consist of four different cells. The core of this structure is the fenestrated endothelial cells (EC). cells and pit cells (PC) stick to their luminal surface, and stellate cells (SC) adhere to their abluminal surface by poorly developed basement membrane (BM) to form a cellular complex. Stellate cells extend perisinusoidal (subendothelial) processes (PSP) and intersinusoidal (interhepatocellular) ones (IP). Thorn-like microprojections (MJ) project from the abluminal cell surface or lateral edges of perisinusoidal processes and contact with parenchymal cells (H). The space between the endothelial-stellate cell complex and parenchymal cells is designated as the space of Disse (SD). Bundles of collagen fibrils (CF) pass through tunnels formed by thorn-like microprojections of stellate and parenchymal cells. BC, bile canaliculus; HCP, hepatic cell plate.