Cooperation of Liver Cells in Health and Disease

Abstract

The enormous number of different liver functions are carried out by parenchymal and four main types of nonparenchymal cells, either alone or in cooperation. Although the liver tissue is uniform on the level of histology, it is heterogenous
on the level of morphometry and histochemistry. This heterogeneity is related to the blood supply; cells located in the
upstream or periportal zone differ from those in the downstream or perivenous zone in their equipment with key enzymes, translocators, receptors, and subcellular structures and therefore have different functional capacities.