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Methods to Study Lipid Alterations in Neutrophils and the Subsequent Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps
Published on: March 29, 2017
Roles of infection, inflammation, and the immune system in cholesterol gallstone formation
Kirk J Maurer1, Martin C Carey, James G Fox
1Division of Gastroenterology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. km429@cornell.edu
Abstract:
Cholesterol gallstone formation is a complex process mediated by genetic and environmental factors. Until recently, the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones was not considered a valid topic of research interest. This review collates and interprets an extensive body of basic literature, some of which is not customarily considered to be related to cholelithogenesis, describing the multiple facets of the immune system that appear to be involved in cholesterol cholelithogenesis. A thorough understanding of the immune interactions with biliary lipids and cholecystocytes should modify current views of the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones, promote further research on the pathways involved, and lead to novel diagnostic tools, treatments, and preventive measures.
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