Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Click here to sign up for SAGE Journal Email Alerts today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Toxicologic Pathology
This Article
Right arrow Free Full Text Free
Right arrow Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Parker, G. A.
Right arrow Articles by Picut, C. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Parker, G. A.
Right arrow Articles by Picut, C. A.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Invited Review

Liver Immunobiology

George A. Parker and Catherine A. Picut

Biotechnics, Inc., Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278, USA

Correspondence: Address correspondence to: Dr. George A. Parker, Biotechnics, Inc., 310 Millstone Drive, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278, USA; e-mail:gparker{at}biotechnics-inc.com

The liver has a number of important functions in innate and adaptive immunity. Contributions to the innate (nonspecific) immune system include production of acute phase proteins, nonspecific phagocytosis of particles, nonspecific pinocytosis of molecules, and nonspecific cell killing. Hepatic involvement in innate immunity contributes to the systemic response to local inflammation, clearance of particles and soluble molecules from the circulation, and killing of invading cells such as neoplastic cells. Liver involvement in the adaptive (specific) immune system includes deletion of activated T cells, induction of tolerance to ingested and self-antigens, extrathymic proliferation of T cells, and deletion of many of the signaling and effector molecules. Hepatic involvement in adaptive immunity allows clearance of activated T cells and signaling molecules following inflammatory reactions, and promotes immunologic tolerance toward potentially antigenic proteins that are absorbed from the intestinal tract. The liver is a major site of extrathymic T cell development, which assumes increasing significance with aging in mammals. Perturbations in hepatic structure or function can result in significant ramifications in both the innate and adaptive immune systems.

Key Words: Liver • hepatic • immunology • toxicology • pathology • kupffor cell • acute phase proteins • phagocytosis • dendritic cells

Abbreviations: APC, Antigen-presenting cell • C3b, iC3b, Complement factor 3b, inactivated complement factor 3b • {alpha}1CPI, {alpha}1 cysteine proteinase inhibitor • CRP, C-reactive protein • Fas, Cell surface receptor identified as CD95 • FasL, Ligand for Fas • HC, Hepatocyte • ICAM-1, Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 • IFN{gamma}, Interferon gamma • IgA, Immunoglobulin A • IgG, Immunoglobulin G • IL-1, etc., Interleukin-1, etc. • LAK, Lymphokine-activated killer cells • MHC, Major histocompatibility complex • mRNA, Messenger ribonucleic acid • NK, Natural killer cells • NK1+, Natural killer cells expressing the NK1 marker • NK1, Natural killer cells that do not express the NK1 marker • NKT, Natural killer cells expressing T cell receptor • RT-PCR, Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction • SEC, Sinusoidal endothelial cell • TCR, T cell receptor • TCR{alpha}β, T cell receptor consisting of alpha-beta heterodimer • TCR{gamma}{delta}, T cell receptor consisting of gamma-delta heterodimer • TCR(hi), T cells a high level of T cell receptor • TCR(int), T cells expressing an intermediate level of T cell receptor • Th1, CD4+ T cells with cytokine profile that favors cytotoxic effector cells • Th2, CD4+: T cells with cytokine profile that favors antibody production • TNF{alpha}, Tumor necrosis factor alpha • VCAM-1, Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1

Toxicologic Pathology, Vol. 33, No. 1, 52-62 (2005)
DOI: 10.1080/01926230590522365


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
JPEN J Parenter Enteral NutrHome page
J. Omata, K. Fukatsu, S. Murakoshi, M. Noguchi, H. Miyazaki, T. Moriya, K. Okamoto, S. Fukazawa, T. Akase, D. Saitoh, et al.
Enteral Refeeding Rapidly Restores PN-Induced Reduction of Hepatic Mononuclear Cell Number Through Recovery of Small Intestine and Portal Vein Blood Flows
JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, November 1, 2009; 33(6): 618 - 626.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Virol.Home page
M. Heydtmann
Macrophages in Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Virus Infections
J. Virol., April 1, 2009; 83(7): 2796 - 2802.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
International Journal of ToxicologyHome page
L. A. Burns-Naas, K. L. Hastings, G. S. Ladics, S. L. Makris, G. A. Parker, and M. P. Holsapple
What's So Special about the Developing Immune System?
International Journal of Toxicology, March 1, 2008; 27(2): 223 - 254.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]