Fetal origin confers radioresistance on liver macrophages via p21cip1/WAF1

Kupffer cells (KCs), the liver-resident macrophages, are important innate immune sensors that respond to liver stress, and may either stimulate or suppress immunity.1 In contrast to most other leukocytes, tissue-resident macrophages in the brain (microglia) and epidermis (Langerhans cells) are highly radioresistant.2,3 However, in the liver, only a subset of KCs resists lethal irradiation, while the other subset is replaced by donor bone-marrow-monocyte-derived KCs (bm-KCs).4,5 This radioresistant KC subset is long lived, and they are not recruited to foci of inflammation, and thus, are termed sessile KCs.
Source: Journal of Hepatology - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Research Article Source Type: research