title: Platelets: No longer bystanders in liver disease.
abstract: Growing lines of evidence recognize that platelets play a central role in liver homeostasis and pathobiology. Platelets have important roles at every stage during the continuum of liver injury and healing. These cells contribute to the initiation of liver inflammation by promoting leukocyte recruitment through sinusoidal endothelium. They can activate effector cells, thus amplifying liver damage, and by modifying the hepatic cellular and cytokine milieu drive both hepatoprotective and hepatotoxic processes.
  
  
  
  In this review we summarize how platelets drive such pleiotropic actions and attempt to reconcile the paradox of platelets being both deleterious and beneficial to liver function; with increasingly novel methods of manipulating platelet function at our disposal, we highlight avenues for future therapeutic intervention in liver disease. (Hepatology 2016;64:1774-1784).
authors.affiliation: Centre for Liver Research, and NIHR Birmingham Liver Biomedical Research Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research, Birmingham, UK. A.chauhan.1@bham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Abhishek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Liver Research, and NIHR Birmingham Liver Biomedical Research Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Institute for Cardiovascular Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Steve P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Liver Research, and NIHR Birmingham Liver Biomedical Research Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Patricia F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Lalor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D002196:Capillaries; D002450:Cell Communication; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000502:physiology