The liver works as a school to educate regulatory immune cells

Cell Mol Immunol. 2013 Jul;10(4):292-302. doi: 10.1038/cmi.2013.7. Epub 2013 Apr 22.

Abstract

Because of its unique blood supply, the liver maintains a special local immune tolerogenic microenvironment. Moreover, the liver can impart this immune tolerogenic effect on other organs, thus inducing systemic immune tolerance. The network of hepatic regulatory cells is an important mechanism underlying liver tolerance. Many types of liver-resident antigen-presenting cells (APCs) have immune regulatory function, and more importantly, they can also induce the differentiation of circulating immune cells into regulatory cells to further extend systemic tolerance. Thus, the liver can be seen as a type of 'school', where liver APCs function as 'teachers' and circulating immune cells function as 'students.'

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology*
  • Cellular Microenvironment / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Immunomodulation
  • Liver / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*