Hepatic Macrophages in Liver Homeostasis and Diseases-diversity, Plasticity and Therapeutic Opportunities

Overview

Journal Cell Mol Immunol

Date 2020 Oct 12

PMID 33041338

Citations 239

Authors

Yankai Wen

Joeri Lambrecht

Cynthia Ju

Frank Tacke

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Macrophages, which are key cellular components of the liver, have emerged as essential players in the maintenance of hepatic homeostasis and in injury and repair processes in acute and chronic liver diseases. Upon liver injury, resident Kupffer cells (KCs) sense disturbances in homeostasis, interact with hepatic cell populations and release chemokines to recruit circulating leukocytes, including monocytes, which subsequently differentiate into monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMϕs) in the liver. Both KCs and MoMϕs contribute to both the progression and resolution of tissue inflammation and injury in various liver diseases. The diversity of hepatic macrophage subsets and their plasticity explain their different functional responses in distinct liver diseases. In this review, we highlight novel findings regarding the origins and functions of hepatic macrophages and discuss the potential of targeting macrophages as a therapeutic strategy for liver disease.

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