Macrophages Respond to Liver Injury

In mice, immune cells from the body cavity surrounding organs arrive at the site of damage to chew up the nuclei of dead cells.

Ashley P. Taylor

Jul 31, 2016 | 1 min read

TO THE RESCUE: Upon liver injury, GATA6+ peritoneal macrophages sense ATP released from the wound and migrate toward it A. At the injury site, macrophage-liver interaction is mediated by binding of macrophages’ CD44 to the carbohydrate hyaluronan exposed on the injured tissue B. The macrophages degrade the nuclei of the dead hepatocytes and a layer of released DNA forms a cover across the wound C. © JULIA MOORE/MOOREILLUSTRATIONS.COMRead the full story.

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!

Already a member?

More Articles in

immunology

T regulatory cell in red sandwiching an antigen presenting cell in blue

Gut Bacteria Help T Cells Heal Muscle: Study

Fluorescent images of red cells showing high and low levels of infection in green

Parasite Drove Natural Selection in Amazonian Indigenous Groups

Meningitis Bacteria Trigger Headaches, Then Sneak Into the Brain

Illustration of woman looking at floating cells through a telescope

Opinion: New Diabetes Drug Signals Shift to Preventing Autoimmunity

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of