Kupffer Cells
Kupffer Cells - Related Videos
03:53
Isolation and Culture of Mouse Kupffer Cells
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2025
In this video, we demonstrate the isolation of Kupffer cells or liver macrophages from the mouse liver. The liver is perfused with a digestion solution followed by density gradient separation. The isolated adherent Kupffer cells can be used for further analysis.
09:49
Kupffer Cell Isolation for Nanoparticle Toxicity Testing
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Cited by 28 •
2015
Liver macrophages, named Kupffer cells, are responsible for the capture of circulating nanoparticles. We describe here a method, of high cell purity and yield, for Kupffer cell isolation. The modified LDH assay is used here to measure the toxicity induced by carbon nanotubes in Kupffer cells.
10:25
"Liver-on-a-Chip" Cultures of Primary Hepatocytes and Kupffer Cells for Hepatitis B Virus Infection
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Cited by 23 •
2019
The goal of this protocol is to provide a step-by-step guide to perform 3-D "liver-on-a-chip" infection experiments with the hepatitis B virus.
08:11
Analysis of Gene Function and Visualization of Cilia-Generated Fluid Flow in Kupffer's Vesicle
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Cited by 19 •
2013
Cilia-generated fluid flow in Kupffer’s Vesicle (KV) controls left-right patterning of the zebrafish embryo. Here, we describe a technique to modulate gene function specifically in KV cells. In addition, we show how to deliver fluorescent beads into KV to visualize fluid flow.
08:47
Protocol for Isolation of Primary Human Hepatocytes and Corresponding Major Populations of Non-parenchymal Liver Cells
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Cited by 96 •
2016
A technique to isolate human hepatocytes and non-parenchymal liver cells from the same donor is described. The different liver cell types build the basis for functional liver models and tissue engineering. This new method aims to isolate liver cells in a high yield and viability.
FAQs
Recognition is followed by phagocytosis, the engulfment of material by a cell. As blood moves through the liver’s sinusoids, Kupffer cells identify bacteria, cellular debris, aged blood cells, and other particles, then remove them from circulation. This activity helps limit blood-borne threats while supporting the liver’s role in maintaining tissue homeostasis.
Cytokines released by Kupffer cells regulate inflammation and help coordinate immune responses. Their signaling connects local activity in the liver with broader immune reactions, allowing the tissue to respond to material carried in the blood. This communication is important because it links particle removal with the inflammatory processes that shape hepatic and systemic immunity.
Kupffer cell activity protects the liver by removing bacteria, damaged material, and aged blood cells, but excessive activation can promote inflammation and tissue injury. The outcome therefore depends on the intensity of their response: controlled activity supports homeostasis, whereas overactivation may disrupt liver function and contribute to pathological changes.
These cells encounter material delivered through the bloodstream, placing them at an important point of contact between circulating threats and liver tissue. Studying their responses can clarify how liver infections provoke immune activity and how drug exposure may relate to inflammation or tissue injury. Their behavior provides context for interpreting hepatic responses to harmful agents.
Kupffer cells are relevant because their inflammatory activity can influence the condition of liver tissue. Research on these cells helps investigators examine how immune responses intersect with fibrosis and metabolic disease, while also considering whether excessive activation contributes to tissue injury. This makes them useful for connecting cellular immune behavior with broader liver pathology.
Because Kupffer cells respond to substances carried in blood and release cytokines, they provide a way to study communication between the liver and the wider immune system. Their activity can reveal how local hepatic responses are coordinated with systemic immunity, including the balance between removing threats, regulating inflammation, and preserving tissue homeostasis.