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The liver sinusoidal endothelial cell: a cell type of controversial and confusing identity

¹Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Institute of Medical Biology; ²Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway

Submitted 16 April 2007 ; accepted in final form 30 November 2007

A look through the literature on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) reveals that there are several conflicts among different authors of what this cell type is and does. Major controversies that will be highlighted in this review include aspects of the physiological role, the characterization, and the protocols of isolation and cultivation of these cells. Many of these conflicts may be ascribed to the fact that the cell was only recently established as a distinct cell type and that researchers from different disciplines tend to define their structure and function differently. This field is in need of a common platform to obtain a sound communication and a unified understanding of how to interpret novel research results. The aim of this review is to encourage scientists not to ignore the fact that there are, indeed, different opinions in the literature on LSECs. We also hope that this review will point out to the reader that some issues that may seem well established regarding our knowledge about the LSECs, in reality, are still unresolved and, indeed, controversial.

reticuloendothelial system; identification; endocytosis; serum

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