The morphology of Kupffer cells was examined in the liver of the juvenile Nile crocodile using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Pleomorphic Kupffer cells were located in the sinusoids, in the space of Disse, in the hepatic parenchyma and often connected adjacent sinusoids. The cell surfaces were irregular due to the presence of filopodia and lamelliapodia with phagocytosis...

Escherichia coli endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) was shown to increase glycogenolysis in the perfused liver 2-3-fold. In isolated parenchymal liver cells, however, endotoxin did not influence glycogenolysis, whereas stimulation by endotoxin of glycogenolysis in the perfused liver could be blocked by aspirin. This suggests that the effect of endotoxin on liver glycogenolysis is mediated by eicosa...

CD2-like receptor activating cytotoxic cells (CRACC) is known as a critical activating receptor of natural killer (NK) cells. We have previously reported that NK cells contribute to Poly I:C/D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced fulminant hepatitis. Since natural killer group 2, member D (NKG2D) is considered critical but not the only activating receptor for NK cells, we investigated the role of CRA...

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) mediates the regression of metastatic cancer, but its clinical use is limited by associated toxicities including hepatic dysfunction. To determine the mechanism for IL-2-induced hepatic dysfunction, we hypothesized that IL-2 activation of Kupffer cells causes leukocyte-endothelial adhesion and decreases hepatic sinusoidal blood flow. C57BL/6 mice were given injections of la...

Chemokines are involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatitis and are considered to contribute to the migration of leukocytes into the liver during chronic ethanol intoxication. This work tests the hypothesis that chronic ethanol consumption selectively enhances chemokine release by Kupffer cells and hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells and migration of inflammatory cells into the liver. F...

The use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as therapeutic tools has increased dramatically in the last decade and is now one of the mainstream strategies to treat cancer. Nonetheless, it is still not completely understood how mAbs mediate tumor cell elimination or the effector cells that are involved. Using intravital microscopy, we found that antibody-dependent phagocytosis (ADPh) by macrophages ...

Hepatic cholesterol(ester) uptake from serum coupled to intracellular processing and biliary excretion are important features in the removal of excess cholesterol from the body. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play an important role in hepatic cholesterol transport. The liver consists of different cell types, and ABC transporters may exert different physiological functions dependent on ...

Background and AimsDonors with fatty livers are considered to address the shortage of for transplantation, but those particularly sensitive ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), an increased incidence graft failure is observed. Kupffer cells account 20–35% liver nonparenchymal cells, have been shown participate in process IRI inflammatory reactions hepatic steatosis. NOD-like receptor thermal prot...

CLEC4F, a member of C-type lectin, was first purified from rat liver extract with high binding affinity to fucose, galactose (Gal), N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), and un-sialylated glucosphingolipids with GalNAc or Gal terminus. However, the biological functions of CLEC4F have not been elucidated. To address this question, we examined the expression and distribution of murine CLEC4F, determine...

The complement system serves an important role in clearance of pathogens, immune complexes, and apoptotic cells present in the circulation. Complement fragments deposited on the particle surface serve as targets for complement receptors present on phagocytic cells. Although Kupffer cells, the liver resident macrophages, play a dominant role in clearing particles in circulation, complement recep...