title: Liver natural killer cells: subsets and roles in liver immunity.
abstract: The liver represents a frontline immune organ that is constantly exposed to a variety of gut-derived antigens as a result of its unique location and blood supply. With a predominant role in innate immunity, the liver is enriched with various innate immune cells, among which natural killer (NK) cells play important roles in host defense and in maintaining immune balance. Hepatic NK cells were first described as 'pit cells' in the rat liver in the 1970s. Recent studies of NK cells in mouse and human livers have shown that two distinct NK cell subsets, liver-resident NK cells and conventional NK (cNK) cells, are present in this organ. Here, we review liver NK cell subsets in different species, revisiting rat hepatic pit cells and highlighting recent progress related to resident NK cells in mouse and human livers, and also discuss the dual roles of NK cells in liver immunity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.|Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute, Division of Nanoscopy, Universiteitssingel 50, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eddie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wisse
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.|Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure