Improvement of portal venous pressure in cirrhotic rat livers by systemic treatment with adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.

•Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) integrate into cirrhotic nodules in rat liver.•They resolve fibrotic septae by loosening of compact collagen, not by degradation.•MSCs thereby ameliorate portal hypertension associated with liver cirrhosis.•Patho-biochemical parameters of fibrosis are not sustainably improved.•MSCs may help to treat acute episodes during chronic liver cirrhosis.