MCs play a key role in the maintaining homeostasis of

MCs play a key role in the maintaining homeostasis of tissues where they reside by participating in tissue repair, reactions against viral and parasitic infections, and aiding in the regulation of various cell types such as dendritic cells, T cells, and macrophages. In addition, MCs are involved in the immune system by secreting pro-inflammatory mediators such as histamine (HA), proteases, heparin, cytokines, chemokines, and several other molecules that are key players in maintaining the homeostasis of organs and tissues. However, MCs are equally known for their detrimental effects on the body. MCs play a key role in several types of chronic allergic and inflammatory conditions, autoimmune diseases, mastocytosis, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. Consequently, there has been an emphasis on the MC contribution to physiological and pathophysiological processes in recent years with the hopes of better understanding MCs and their roles in disease processes.
Conclusion Cellular crosstalk is an important event that occurs during disease progression and is critical to better understand how cells, tissues, and organs respond to injury and repair. While specific Enalapril Maleate are the targets of certain diseases (e.g., cholangiocytes in cholangiopathies), this does not underscore the importance of cellular crosstalk between both resident and non-resident liver cells during disease processes and progression. It appears that there is great interest in evaluating the full events of liver injury and repair with regards to cellular crosstalk as evidenced by the studies highlighted in this review. Based on these studies, cholangiocytes, HSCs/PFs, vascular cells, and MCs may all interact with each other to promote liver damage as summarized in Fig. 2, which may facilitate targeting these cells to induce liver repair. The hope would be that these studies of cellular crosstalk allow for the identification of potential therapeutic targets as well as understanding disease processes more thoroughly.
Conflict of interest
Acknowledgements Portions of this work were supported by (i) a VA Merit Award (1I01BX003031) from the United States Department of Veteran\'s affairs, Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development Service and an RO1 from NIH NIDDK (DK108959) and (ii) the Dr. Nicholas C. Hightower Centennial Chair of Gastroenterology from Baylor Scott & White Health. This material is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, Texas.The content is the responsibility of the author(s) alone and does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.
Introduction The liver is a heterogeneous tissue whose functions include the production of bile acids, detoxification of toxins and xenobiotics, cholesterol synthesis, and glucose storage, among other activities. At least 15 different cell types have been identified in the liver, but the primary cell type is the hepatocyte (∼70% of the nuclear cell population). Other liver cells include sinusoidal endothelial cells, Kupffer cells, hepatic stellate cells, portal fibroblasts and cholangiocytes. Cholangiocytes make up 3%–5% of the liver cell population and are the epithelial cells that line the intra- and extra-hepatic bile ducts of the biliary epithelium. Cholangiocytes are a heterogeneous cell type: (i) small cholangiocytes are cuboidal in shape, line small bile ducts (lumen diameter < 15 μm) and proliferate in response to IP3/Ca2+ signaling; and (ii) large cholangiocytes are more columnar in shape, line large bile ducts (lumen diameter ≥ 15 μm) and proliferate in response to cAMP signaling. Under normal conditions, cholangiocytes are mitotically dormant and primarily participate in the modification of canalicular bile by secreting water and electrolytes, including Cl− and HCO3−. However, following injury, cholangiocytes begin to proliferate in an attempt to maintain biliary homeostasis. The proliferating cholangiocytes display a neuroendocrine phenotype defined by enhanced synthesis and secretion of various neuroendocrine factors that regulate biliary and liver pathogenesis by both autocrine and paracrine mechanisms.