Identification and percentage frequency of isolated non-parenchymal liver cells (NPLC) in the mouse

The aim of the present study was to identify non-parenchymal liver cells (NPLC) in B10.D2 mice and to determine their percentage frequency. The isolation of NPLC was carried out using the collagenase/pronase technique. Using functional techniques (latex phagocytosis, immunocytochemical detection of surface-bound and intracytoplasmic antigens) and morphological methods (light and electron microscopy), the following cell types were identified, and their percentage frequency in the NPLC determined: endothelial cells (50%), macrophages (23%), desmin-positive cells (14%), immunocompetent cells (10%, including T-, B-cells, pit and large vacuolated cells-both immunopositive to the asialo-GM 1 antigen) and unidentified cells (3%). These results show that, apart from the more familiar varieties of NPLC, two groups of cells exist in the liver which have not yet been fully identified and in which the immunocompetent cells predominate numerically.