Cellular mechanisms of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury

The activation of Kupffer cells and neutrophils is an important component of the multi-factorial process of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. These cells can cause cell injury by release of cytotoxic mediators such reactive oxygen and proteases. In addition, both cell types contribute to the propagation of the inflammatory response by generating a wide variety of proinflammatory mediators. Thus, these cells and the mediators produced by them are promising targets for therapeutic interventions. However, in designing therapeutic strategies it has to be kept in mind that these cells play an important role in host defense and, therefore, a complete inactivation of these cells is not desirable.