| Liver sinusoid | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Basic liver structure | |
| Details | |
| Drains from | Hepatic portal vein |
| Drains to | Central veins of liver |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | vas sinusoideum |
| TH | H3.04.05.0.00014 |
| FMA | 17543 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Aliver sinusoid is a type ofcapillary known as a sinusoidal capillary, discontinuous capillary or sinusoid, that is similar to afenestrated capillary, having discontinuousendothelium that serves as a location for mixing of the oxygen-rich blood from thehepatic artery and the nutrient-rich blood from theportal vein.[1]
The liver sinusoid has a larger caliber than other types of capillaries and has a lining of specialised endothelial cells known as theliver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), andKupffer cells.[2] The cells are porous and have a scavenging function.[3] The LSECs make up around half of the non-parenchymal cells in the liver and are flattened and fenestrated.[4] LSECs have many fenestrae that gives easy communication between the sinusoidal lumen and thespace of Disse. They play a part in filtration,endocytosis, and in the regulation of blood flow in the sinusoids.[5]
The Kupffer cells cantake up and destroy foreign material such asbacteria.Hepatocytes are separated from the sinusoids by thespace of Disse.Hepatic stellate cells are present in the space of Disse and are involved inscar formation in response to liver damage.
Defenestration happens when LSECs are lost rendering the sinusoid as an ordinary capillary. This process precedesfibrosis.[6]
The liver sinusoidal endothelial cells are cultured for a variety of research purposes. The utility of these cells are of particular interest. One problem to overcome is the reversing ofcellular differentiation that has made these cells highly specialized phenotypicallyin vitro.[7]
