Da. Sanan et al., HEPATIC LIPASE IS ABUNDANT ON BOTH HEPATOCYTE AND ENDOTHELIAL-CELL SURFACES IN THE LIVER, Journal of lipid research, 38(5), 1997, pp. 1002-1013
The cellular location of hepatic lipase was investigated in transgenic
rabbits that expressed human hepatic lipase in the liver. The binding
of monoclonal antibodies to human hepatic lipase, as detected by eith
er fluorescence-tagged or gold-conjugated secondary antibodies, showed
that hepatic lipase was concentrated at the surfaces of hepatic sinus
oids. This distribution was the same as observed in the human liver. A
t the ultrastructural level, immunogold labeling of the space of Disse
showed hepatic lipase on both lumenal and sublumenal surfaces of rabb
it liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. An equivalent amount of hepatic
lipase also was found on the external surfaces of hepatocyte microvil
li in the space of Disse, as well as in the interhepatocyte spaces. Th
e distribution suggests that a majority of the hepatic lipase produced
by the liver is associated with hepatocyte surfaces, consistent with
the functions of this enzyme in lipoprotein metabolism.