An Eye on Kupffer Cells: Development, Phenotype and the Macrophage Niche

Abstract

Macrophages are key participants in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis under normal and pathological conditions, and implement a rich diversity of functions. The largest population of resident tissue macrophages is found in the liver. Hepatic macrophages, termed Kupffer cells, are involved in the regulation of multiple liver functionalities. Specific differentiation profiles and functional activities of tissue macrophages have been attributed to the shaping role of the so-called tissue niche microenvironments. The fundamental macrophage niche concept was lately shaken by a flood of new data, leading to a revision and substantial update of the concept, which constitutes the main focus of this review. The macrophage community discusses contemporary evidence on the developmental origins of resident macrophages, notably Kupffer cells and the issues of heterogeneity of the hepatic macrophage populations, as well as the roles of proliferation, cell death and migration processes in the maintenance of macrophage populations of the liver. Special consideration is given to interactions of Kupffer cells with other local cell lineages, including Ito cells, sinusoidal endothelium and hepatocytes, which participate in the maintenance of their phenotypical and functional identity.

Keywords: Ito cells; Kupffer cells; endothelial cells; hepatocytes; macrophage niche; macrophages; monocytes.

Figure 1

Component processes of the liver macrophage population dynamics.

Figure 2

Characterization of the hepatic macrophage niche. KCs—Kupffer cells, HSCs—hepatic stellate cells (Ito cells), LSECs—liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, Hep—hepatocytes.