What are Kupffer cells and what do they do?
Kupffer cells are resident liver macrophages and play a critical role in maintaining liver functions. Under physiological conditions, they are the first innate immune cells and protect the liver from bacterial infections.
What are von Kupffer cells?
Supplement. Kupffer cells are the specialized macrophages located in the liver, particularly at the lining of liver sinusoids. They are part of the mononuclear phagocyte system. Their name is derived from Karl Wilhelm von Kupffer, a German anatomist who was the first to describe them in 1876.
What is the function of Kupffer?
The intention of this review is to stress new information regarding the quite versatile functions of Kupffer cells. Although their main function is phagocytosis and defence of the liver against bacteria, endotoxaemia and viral infections, they also fulfil other important roles.
Is a Kupffer cell a monocyte?
There are mainly two types of hepatic macrophages: Kupffer cells, that reside in the liver and originated from yolk sac-derived red bone marrow progenitor cells, and also monocyte-derived macrophages, derived from hematopoietic stem cells from the bone marrow and transported through the blood circulation to the liver.
What do Kupffer cells release?
Kupffer cells can be activated to produce a variety of cytokines, eicosanoids, nitric oxide and oxygen radicals. As a result, Kupffer cells can participate in the pathogenesis of toxic hepatic injury and repair in several ways.
What is another name for Kupffer cells?
stellate sinusoidal macrophages
Kupffer cells (also known as stellate sinusoidal macrophages or Kupffer-Browicz cells) are macrophages found in the sinusoids of the liver. In fact, Kupffer cells make up 80% to 90% of all the macrophages in the entire human body.
Do Kupffer cells move?
High-resolution in vivo video microscopy shows that Kupffer cells have the ability to migrate along sinusoidal walls. Images recorded from anesthetized mice show active locomotion of cells with or against the direction of blood flow or in the absence of flow.