Hepatic NK, NKT and T cells

摘要: The liver’s unique location between the gastrointestinal tract and peripheral lymphoid organs its fenestrated endothelium allow contact with many antigenic substances. These consist of dietary proteins transported from gut via portal vein, products intrahepatic metabolism, bacterial viral liver pathogens. According to different origin these antigens, has ability induce either tolerance or inflammatory reactions (1,2) (Table 1). Furthermore, can actively modulate ongoing immune reactions: infiltrate be increased by chemotactic attraction activation leukocytes (3) decreased induction apoptosis activated intra-hepatic lymphocytes (4). dual apparently oppos-4 ing functions are important understand mechanisms oral allograft antigens pathogenesis diseases caused parasitic This chapter addresses role natural killer (NK), T (NKT), cells during this process.