ABSTRACT
Specific techniques have been developed, however, to specifically study Kupffer cells (KCs): Hepatocytes (HCs) interactions in vivo. The use of frog virus 3 (FV3) has proven especially useful. This virus selectively infects KC and endothelial cells in vivo, leading to altered HC function and eventually to HC necrosis. FV3 may also be taken up by KC and endothelial cells in vitro and studied in single cell cultures. Gadolinium chloride is a raw earth metal that may also be useful to study KC:HC interaction. This substance interferes with KC phagocytosis. It has been used to study the role of KC in both transplantation immunology and inflammation. While KC:HC cocultures provide information regarding the bidirectional cellular communications involved in KC:HC interactions, supernatant transfer studies allow one to investigate unidirectional cellular influences. These techniques have allowed investigators to study the effects that KC products exert on HC function.
