Liver-resident and infiltrating immune cells

Liver-resident and infiltrating immune cells represent the diverse immunological landscape of the liver, comprising both permanent residents and transiently recruited populations. Resident cells, such as Kupffer cells (KCs), liver-resident Natural Killer (lrNK) cells, and Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells, are crucial for maintaining immune tolerance and rapid response to gut-derived antigens (Dixon et al., 2013, Comprehensive Physiology; Robinson et al., 2016, Cellular & Molecular Immunology). Infiltrating cells, including monocyte-derived macrophages, neutrophils, and various T-cell subsets, are recruited in response to injury, infection, or malignancy, often driving the progression of chronic liver diseases (Krenkel & Tacke, 2017, Nature Reviews Immunology). This collective population is central to the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), viral hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (Ringelhan et al., 2018, Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology). Pharmacological intervention typically involves targeting specific receptors or signaling pathways within these cells, such as CCR2/CCR5 inhibitors to block recruitment or checkpoint inhibitors to reinvigorate exhausted T cells (Tacke, 2017, Journal of Hepatology). Understanding the spatial and functional heterogeneity of these cells is vital for developing precision therapies that can resolve inflammation without compromising systemic immunity (Heymann & Tacke, 2016, Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology).

Other names

Hepatic immune landscapeIntrahepatic immune cellsLiver immune microenvironmentHepatic immune cell population

Modulation of immune cell recruitment, activation, or exhaustion within the hepatic microenvironment (Tacke, 2017, Journal of Hepatology; Ringelhan et al., 2018, Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology).