ReviewAge-related changes in liver structure and function: Implications for disease ?
Section snippets
Background
Nearly, 13% of the population of the United States is over the age of 65 years; this percentage and the actual number of elderly will increase substantially over the next 50 years. One well-documented effect of aging is a decline in overall health and vitality which contributes to the elderly consuming nearly 40% of all drugs, requiring more frequent and longer hospitalizations in comparison to young cohorts and accounting for 50% of the nation's healthcare budget.
Aging is characterized by
How aging affects the liver
Based on these correlations, it is not unreasonable to suggest that the elderly are predisposed to liver diseases. The next logical step is to determine how aging affects the liver in order to understand why the elderly appear to be more susceptible to liver diseases than are younger cohorts. It should be noted that the extrapolation of data generated in rodents to humans is often fraught with inherent problems. However, the present review incorporates studies performed in both rodents and
Aging, oxidative stress and liver injury
Cells and tissues in old animals and in elderly humans are subject to increased oxidative stress attributable, in part, to a reduced capacity to eliminate metabolically generated superoxide radicals as efficiently as younger cohorts. Numerous studies have attempted to demonstrate a causal relationship between cell injury and age-related increases either in free radicals or in cell sensitivity to these molecules. Zhang et al. used a hyperthermic challenge to increase oxidative stress and
Kupffer cells
While most studies on aging and the liver have focused on hepatocyte structure and function, there are a few data pertaining to other liver cell subpopulations, including Kupffer and stellate cells. Aging appears to affect the hepatic clearance of certain drugs and cholesterol. However, the Kupffer cells constitute another critical clearance mechanism in the hepatic sinusoids that removes particulates (e.g., antigen/antibody complexes, effete cells). Few studies have examined this particular
Summary
The multitude of functions assigned to the mammalian liver and its central role in human physiology suggest that it may be particularly susceptible to the insults of aging. One consequence of aging appears to be an increase in the incidence of liver pathologies, which may compromise hepatic function in the elderly. Despite the growing geriatric population and the magnitude of healthcare problems associated with this group, the effect of aging on the liver has not be subjected to comprehensive
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