Platelet-activating factor in liver injury: a relational scope.

The hepatocyte, the main cellular component of the liver, exhibits variable susceptibility to different types of injury induced by endogenous or exogenous factors. Hepatocellular dysfunction or death and regeneration are dependent upon the complicated interactions between numerous biologically active molecules. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) seems to play a pivotal role as the key mediator of liver injury in the clinical and experimental setting, as implied by the beneficial effects of its receptor antagonists. A comprehensive up-to-date overview of the specific functional and regulatory properties of PAF in conditions associated with liver injury is attempted in this review.