LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Yvette Wilson, best known for her role in 1990s TV comedy "Moesha," has died at age 48 after a long battle with cervical cancer, a close friend of the actress said on Friday.

Wilson, who also appeared in the TV series "The Parkers" and the movie "House Party 2", suffered kidney failure and had undergone a kidney transplant before her cancer returned recently after several years in remission, Jeffrey Pittle said.

Pittle made the announcement on a website he had set up to raise funds for Wilson's medical treatment.

"It is with a heavy heart that I can verify that Yvette passed away last evening after a lengthy and hard battle. She was a fighter to the end, and her talent, humor and amazing friendship will be sorely missed. She will live on through her awesome body of work. I would ask that you continue to donate on this page to support her family in this trying and sad time," Pittle wrote on the Giveforward.com website.

Wilson's "Moesha" co-star Shar Jackson said on Twitter on Thursday "Oh god...My heart is soooo unbelievably broken," adding later "I wanna thank all my tweeties for their prayers but god has chosen to take my sister Yvette home...".

Los Angeles-born Wilson began her career as a stand-up comedian and played Andell Wilkerson, owner of a neighborhood teen hangout in the 1996-2000 comedy "Moesha" which starred singer Brandy Norwood. She went on to appear in the spin-off TV show "The Parkers" and HBO's "Def Comedy Jam."

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte, Bernard Orr)