Abstract
The typical histological picture of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), characterized by a dense mononuclear cell infiltrate eroding the limiting plate and invading the parenchyma (periportal hepatitis), first suggested that autoaggressive cellular immunity may be involved in its causation12. Immunocytochemical studies have identified the phenotype of the infiltrating cells. T lymphocytes mounting the alβT cell receptor predominate. Among the T cells a majority are positive for the CD4 helper/inducer phenotype and a sizeable minority for the CD8 cytotoxic/suppressor phenotype. Lymphocytes of non-T cell lineage are fewer and include, in decreasing order of frequency, killer/natural killer (K/NK) cells (CD16/CD56-positive), macrophages and B lymphocytes3.
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Vergani, D., Mieli-Vergani, G. (2000). The role of T cells in autoimmune hepatitis. In: Manns, M.P., Paumgartner, G., Leuschner, U. (eds) Immunology and Liver. Falk Symposium, vol 114. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4000-3_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4000-3_12
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