Description
Endothelial cells play multiple physiological functions and are central to many pathological processes. The liver contains two distinct endothelial cell types: vascular and sinusoidal. Sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) are microvascular endothelial cells with a unique phenotype reminiscent of dendritic cells and a unique function as antigen-presenting cells for CD4+ T cells. Thus, SEC represent a new type of organ-resident "non-professional" antigen-presenting cell that appears to be involved in the local control of the immune response and the induction of immune tolerance in the liver. The hepatic microenvironment, i.e. portal venous constituents and soluble mediators from sinusoidal cell populations, tightly control antigen presentation by SEC to avoid immune-mediated damage. SEC express well-characterized surface receptors and differ morphologically and metabolically from large-vessel endothelia. It has reported that SEC are dynamic regulators of porosity that respond rapidly and locally to environmental zonal stimuli during liver regeneration. Due to its strategic position in the liver sinusoid, SEC dysfunction and structural alterations have far-reaching repercussions for the whole liver. Mouse Hepatic Sinusoidal Endothelial cells (MHSEC) are isolated from swiss mice liver. MHSEC are cryopreserved at passage one and delivered frozen. MHSEC are not recommend for expanding or long term cultures since these cells do not proliferate in vitro